Will Ferrell's Leeds United investment will see nine-figure net worth face familiar enemies

Headlines will always be made when a film star of Will Ferrell’s standing is confirmed as an investor in a football club. For fans of Leeds United and the Anchorman star, it’s a meeting of minds, a crossing of streams, a fantasy world where two of your favourite things combine in a haze of dopamine.

As with all of the investors that have been publicised since 49ers Enterprises took control at Elland Road, it’s exciting to see Leeds linked with incredibly wealthy, successful people, even if their expertise is not in football. There are caps, as we know, on spending in professional football, but it’s hardly going to do much harm having another high-profile name on board with a reported nine-figure net worth.

And yet, for all of the buzz created by this story, first reported in the national media on Saturday night, not a whole lot changes for the Whites. They are still looking down the barrel of a play-off lottery that will make or break the next 12 months, they are still shackled by financial fair play and they still have the same people calling the shots in the boardroom.

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Ferrell will bring some glitz to the Elland Road directors’ box if he does want to take a game in or two, but the doors he might open in the entertainment industry are probably already covered by the likes of Russell Crowe. The point is, it’s another shot in the arm for Leeds and another example of their pulling power, but the 56-year-old becomes one of many big names putting their trust in Paraag Marathe and Enterprises.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, friends of Ferrell’s who have hosted him at Wrexham, may be the most influential Hollywood names in British football, but their roles are far different to the Elf star’s. They are the faces of that Racecourse Ground ownership and, ultimately, call the shots, while Ferrell is expected to be far away from frontline decisions.

Many of the biggest names backing the 49ers vehicle have gone public with their investment and support of the Whites, but very few of them have been seen at Elland Road up to now. It’s entirely up to Ferrell how high-profile he wants to make this recent outlay.