YouTuber and influencer KSI, known to millions as Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, has become a shareholder and strategic partner in National League South side Dagenham & Redbridge.

The multi-hyphenate star, boasting 75.3 million followers across social platforms, has outlined ambitious plans for the club, targeting eventual promotion to the Premier League.

The 32-year-old revealed he has been secretly watching Daggers games on YouTube streams “for months” and plans to attend Saturday’s home encounter with league leaders Dorking Wanderers.

“I’m so excited to start this journey,” KSI said. “It’s gonna be a rollercoaster for sure but I hope to bring Dagenham & Redbridge back to the glory days.

“And once we reach that point, I want to go even further. Reaching the Premier League would be a dream. And I believe it is 100 per cent doable. It will take a long time, so to the Daggers fans, please be patient.

“I want you to know that I am fully committed to making sure Dagenham & Redbridge is a team that everyone will know worldwide, and will be an exciting team to watch and support.”

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John Grabowski commented on this news, saying, “Having JJ as a shareholder in Dagenham & Redbridge is transformative for the club.

“His passion for disruption, connections with people, and motivation to succeed perfectly aligns with the ambition of this Club moving forward.

“This partnership is a clear statement of our intent: to build a truly unique club that is relevant to both its local community and a global audience. We welcome JJ and look forward to working together to deliver a brighter future for the Daggers”.

KSI is currently a judge on Britain’s Got Talent alongside judges Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon and owns a Sides fried chicken chain alongside the YouTube group The Sidemen.

KSI’s investment comes after the National League South side were recently taken over by the investment consortium Happy Fan Group Ltd after being owned by Club Underdog for two years.

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Former England footballer Andy Carroll is among its investors after he initially joined the National League South club on a free transfer.

The 37-year-old began his professional career with Newcastle United before transferring to Liverpool for £35m in 2011, later playing for West Ham, Reading and West Brom among other teams.

He also played nine matches for England between 2010 and 2012, scoring twice, including one goal at Euro 2012.

Dagenham & Redbridge dropped out of the English Football League in 2015-16 and were relegated to National League South on the final day of last season.

Dagenham & Redbridge are currently 13th in the league, with 11 games left to play.

PA