Barcelona defender Gerard Pique was unsuccessful in an attempt to buy National League side Notts County for £20m this summer.
The former Manchester United centre back was attracted to the rich history of Notts County, who finished third in England top flight in the 1890/91 season and won the FA Cup in 1894.
According to the Athletic, had the takeover been successful, Pique would have turned Meadow Lane into a school to nurture England's homegrown talent and ease youngsters into the professional game.
The report claims previous Notts County owner Alan Hardy met with representatives from Kosmos Global Holding Group, a sports, media and entertainment company co-owned by Pique.