More than 40 years after Sir Elton John first invested in his beloved Watford, the appetite among celebrities for ploughing money into their favourite football clubs is still strong.

But eyebrows were raised yesterday when rumours circulated that Hollywood heart-throb George Clooney, 60, wants to buy struggling Derby County, nicknamed the Rams and managed by ex-Manchester United and England star Wayne Rooney.

The Oscar-winning American actor, who lives in Berkshire with his wife Amal, a human rights lawyer, was said to be interested in leading a takeover of the cash-strapped Championship side.

George Clooney, pictured with his human rights lawyer wife Amal, right, is considering taking a stake in Derby County 

The club, which is managed by former England striker Wayne Rooney, pictured, faces a difficult financial future.  The club went into administration last September and it is now battling relegation after a 21-point deduction for breaching accounting rules.

The club went into administration last September and it is now battling relegation after a 21-point deduction for breaching accounting rules.

Reports of Clooney’s interest, which appeared in a national newspaper, was based on an interview he gave to Derbyshire Life magazine in which he revealed his love of ‘the Rams’. He was introduced to the club in 2015 by Derbyshire-born actor Jack O’Connell while they were filming the crime thriller Money Monster.

Clooney described it as ‘a great football club with a fantastic history and I am sure there is a great future too. I know there have been problems in recent times, but nothing that cannot be fixed and – under the circumstances – the team has been working really hard and playing well.’

He added: ‘My interest in soccer has certainly grown in recent years and a few years ago I was asked if I would like to be involved with a group of others looking to buy Malaga Football Club in Spain. It was quite an exciting prospect but ultimately it fell through. Perhaps owning a football club is the next best thing to playing for one… Maybe, one day.’

However, the Ocean’s Eleven star did not explicitly say he was involved in plans to buy the club.

Reports of Clooney’s interest, which appeared in a national newspaper, was based on an interview he gave to Derbyshire Life magazine in which he revealed his love of ‘the Rams’

But speculation was fuelled by the timing of the interview’s publication on Friday, given the deadline for takeover offers for the club was that same evening.

The Mail on Sunday spoke to the veteran journalist and writer Bernard Bale, who conducted the original interview with Clooney earlier this year. Though he thought reports that the actor was leading a takeover were perhaps overblown, he said he ‘wouldn’t put it past him’.

He said: ‘Clooney is not short of money, he is a fun guy, he does love sport and he has followed Derby County for a number of years. It wouldn’t surprise me if just for the hell of it he said, “Yeah, I’ll throw in £1 million” or however much it might be. He’s quite an off-the wall guy.’

It is understood that Rooney was surprised by the reports linking Clooney to his club.

A spokesman for Derby did not deny the reports, but said it was up to the club’s administrators, Quantuma, to deal with questions about potential ownership.

Quantuma did not respond to questions from the MoS about whether Mr Clooney had made an offer.

Another Hollywood actor, Canadian Ryan Reynolds, bought Welsh side Wrexham last year with his fellow actor Rob McElhenney. They said they aimed to turn the National League club into a ‘global force’.

Celebrity cook Delia Smith is famously one of the key investors in Premier League club Norwich City.