All eyes will likely be on new Liverpool boss Arne Slot when the Reds begin their Premier League challenge for 2024/25 with an opening-day clash against Ipswich Town on Saturday.
Dutchman Slot will take charge of his first competitive fixture as the club's new manager, having taken over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer.
Liverpool fans will be scrutinizing both Slot's style of play and his personnel selection during the match at Portman Road, as they look to judge just how competitive the Reds will be in going up against the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal for the Premier League title this year. But they could also be forgiven for being distracted during the game by the potential presence of a celebrity superfan in the crowd.
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Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran purchased a stake in Ipswich just a few days before the Premier League game.
The musician is a lifelong supporter of the Tractor Boys and has sponsored both the men's and women's team shirts over the past three seasons, but he has now added a financial interest in the club after purchasing a 1.4 per cent stake in the team through his company, Gamechanger 20 Ltd.
Ed Sheeran buys stake in Ipswich Town on eve of new Premier League season
Sheeran could hardly contain himself on announcing the deal, although he was quick to point out that he will have no influence over decision-making at the club.
"It's any football fan's dream to be an owner of the club they support, and I feel so grateful for this opportunity," Sheeran said.
"I have lived in Suffolk since I was three years old and, while I travel the world and sometimes feel like an outsider in big cities, Suffolk and Ipswich have always made me feel part of the community.
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"It's such a joy to be a fan of Ipswich Town. There are ups and downs but football is all about taking the highs and the lows. I'm not a voting shareholder or a board member, this is just me putting some money into the club I love and them returning the gesture, so please don't get onto me with signing suggestions or tactics to play!"
Sheeran has previously been a regular in attendance at Ipswich matches and was spotted in the stands throughout the club's successful push for promotion from the Championship last season, which secured their return to the EPL for the first time in 22 years.
It's not yet known whether he will be there in person for the opening-day match with Liverpool, which kick starts the new Premier League season on Saturday, but the club have confirmed he will have exclusive use of one of their directors' boxes throughout the season.
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