Australian pair Cameron Burgess and Massimo Luongo are set to rub shoulders with one of the world's biggest music stars after Ed Sheeran bought a share of English Premier League club Ipswich Town.
Having helped Ipswich achieve promotion last season, defender Burgess and midfielder Luongo are poised to make their EPL debuts on Saturday night (AEST) when the Tractor Boys open their campaign at home against Liverpool.
Former Socceroos star Massimo Luongo plays for Ipswich Town and will get to rub shoulders with the pop icon
'I am really excited to have bought a small percentage of my hometown football club,' Sheeran told the Ipswich Town website.
'It's any football fan's dream to be an owner of the club they support, and I feel so grateful for this opportunity.
'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 and protected.
Australia's Cameron Burgess, pictured grappling with England's Ollie Watkins, is also a squad member of Ipswich Town
'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,' Sheeran continued.
'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 on to me with signing suggestions or tactics to play.
The club's chairman Mark Ashton said: 'For one of the biggest artists in the world to give us so much of his time and give the Club such incredible exposure around the world, while asking for very little in return, highlights just what makes this relationship such a special one.'
Ipswich warmed up for the visit of the Reds with a 1-0 pre-season win last weekend over French club Nice.