Mark Attanasio ticks all the right boxes as a Norwich City investor, according to Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones.

Attanasio has led a consortium of American investors, including Richard Ressler who also attended Carrow Road in May as exclusively revealed by the Pink Un, in buying a minority shareholding in the club.

The 64-year-old has been the principal owner of the Milwaukee Brewers since 2004 and becomes the first overseas director in Norwich's history.

Working alongside Smith and Wynn Jones, Attanasio will attend board meetings and have a say in the running of the club.

“What happened was, he came over and they spent a weekend looking at the club and at the city of Norwich," Smith told City's official channels.

"They are coming with hugely amazing credentials and part of that was having dinner with Michael and me. That was amazing. We had a great evening and got on so well.

"Their vision is very, very close to our vision. The things they do over there, they have a foundation, they are very much involved in the community and all the right things. It felt like a dream, really, that you could meet people who were completely on the same wavelength. They are lovely people.”

When Attanasio purchased the Brewers, he outlined four key pledges that shared his vision for the baseball team in depth.

Running through the core of those was community - a value that City's owners hold dear in their approach to leading the Canaries. That alignment was a key component in why Attanasio has completed a purchase of shares.

“That’s us, isn’t it? That is what we care about. The other is that they are really passionate about the supporters," Smith said. "The success they have had in the 17 years that he has been there is unbelievable. He ticks all the boxes.

The Pink Un: Mark Attanasio has completed a purchase of shares in Norwich City Football Club.Mark Attanasio has completed a purchase of shares in Norwich City Football Club. (Image: Michael McLoone)

“We have to learn how it is going to pan out. I am very excited about learning from Mark and it’s sort of fresh air. It’s like having a complete breath of fresh air onto our board and into our club and I’m just really excited about it.”

Wynn Jones added: “He has also brought some interesting improvements to the Milwaukee Brewers. For instance, he has instituted a data base recruitment scheme, which maybe he will teach us about"

Given Attanasio now has a minority shareholding in the club, some will be quick to assume that a transfer of power is going to happen in the not so distant future.

Whilst that wasn't explicitly ruled out by Wynn Jones and Smith, they were quick to point out that this process was initiated by Michael Foulger, who has sold his shares to a group led by Attanasio.

So that begs the question - why is now the right time?

Despite a lack of interest in the past, Smith and Wynn Jones believe they have found the perfect person at the right time to help take the club forward.

“We’ve never had any potential suitors. We were once offered a pound when someone wanted to take it off our hands and put the club into administration. We haven’t had any suitors at all.

"The timing is nothing to do with us. The timing is Michael Foulger deciding that now is the time to sell his shares but it does seem like a very opportune time," Smith said.

“Personally, I feel the club is being run excellently. I don’t see any big changes, but obviously, it’s about learning from their experience and incorporating that. The database thing that they do is unique, and we will get the benefit from that. That is where the changes will be coming.”