A renowned American lawyer has expressed interest in buying a controlling stake in Western Province and the Stormers.

Register your interest for the British & Irish Lions tickets in South Africa 2021

Marco V Masotti, a senior partner at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, told Netwerk24 that he had contacted the union on 8 July and requested a 45-day period in which he is exclusively spoken to by the union.

The report in the Afrikaans publication adds that, together with partners, Masotti wants to invest about $6 million (around R100 million) - $4 million in the Stormers and $2 million in the union (WP).

However, he has made it clear he wants control of the board.

"The one important prerequisite, as is the case with any sports team, is that I want control," Masotti told Netwerk24.

"You have to run it like a business and make decisions that are in the best interests of the team, the players and the surrounding community."

Masotti, who was born in South Africa, added that WP came back with a proposal of an equal number of directors.

"They said that according to their constitution, an investor may not own 51%. It must be 49%. I said, 'No, I want control'."

Masotti grew up in Amanzimtoti and after obtaining a degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he left for the United States in 1992 to continue his law studies.

WP must now decide if they want to continue talks with Masotti.

Whether the Cape union will take the offer on board remains to be seen, as it is well known that there is a longstanding power struggle between the amateur (WPRFU) and professional (WP Rugby Pty Ltd.) arms of the union.

- Compiled by Sport24 staff