Former AC Milan and Brazil forward Alexandre Pato is a member of a consortium interested in taking over Colchester United.

The League Two club confirmed the 36-year-old attended Saturday’s home game against Fleetwood Town as a guest of current owner Robbie Cowling.

BBC Sport has been told that that a deal is “possible” but it is not thought any announcement is imminent.

Talks with the US-based Lightwell Sports Group, headed by Tom Foley, collapsed in June last year.

The sale process was reopened in September but Cowling said last month that he could not put any timescale on how long it might take to conclude a deal.

“We’ve got some interested parties. We’re not interested in people unless they’ve got the wealth to take the club on much further than myself,” he told BBC Essex.

“There is no timescale, the line has to be that I hand it on to the right person – it’s a bit like you looking for someone to adopt your child, you’ve got to vet them.”