Three Top Candidates to Buy Liverpool as Owners FSG Put Anfield Club up for Sale
Fenway Sports Group, the club’s owners, made the surprising announcement that the club was up for sale, and now a swath of investors will be eager to enter the race to buy the illustrious team.
“FSG routinely receives interest expressions from outside parties looking to invest in Liverpool. As previously stated by FSG, if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a team, we would consider new shareholders under the proper terms and conditions. FSG is still wholly dedicated to Liverpool’s success on and off the field.”
RedBird Capital Partners, an investment company that already has a 10% stake in Liverpool, is the early favourite to assume the mantle. Owner Gerry Cardinale did not rule out entirely buying the Reds despite having put up £538 million early last year, saying at the Financial Times Business of Sport US Summit, “We did not underwrite that with that as the goal.”
Although it would be a privilege, I would definitely not rule it out. However, I believe that Liverpool is in excellent hands with the current leadership. We are there to provide support and assistance where we can, but everyone on that team—from ownership and management down—is incredible.
LeBron James, a basketball legend, is another tiny shareholder at Anfield who might collaborate with RedBird. He bought 2% of the team 11 years ago.
James has previously mentioned owning an NBA team, and Tom Werner, the chairman of Liverpool, claimed that the American legend would “weigh in” on Reds’ choices. Werner welcomed James and his business colleagues’ opinions, saying, “I would welcome their comments. Maverick is one of my closest pals, in my opinion.
I’ve talked to him for hours about coaching, tactics, the things I’ve learned from Jurgen Klopp, and the things he’s picked up from being a keen basketball spectator. Our relationship is quite collaborative, so I would actually argue that their knowledge and experience will be very beneficial to us moving forward.
After the failure of the European Super League in April 2021, Liverpool’s major owner Henry reportedly turned down an eye-popping offer for the team for around £3 billion. This was the most recent attempt to buy Liverpool. Despite the Coronavirus outbreak costing the Reds over £120 million in lost revenue, the Middle Eastern bid was rejected.
The unconfirmed party may now be interested in Henry’s choice to make bids, and given FSG’s abrupt shift in position—which was highly unforeseen before it was made public on Monday—they might have a greater chance this time.
Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nehayan, another bidder from the Middle East, might also strike it lucky.
A £2 billion attempt by Sheikh Mansour’s relatives to buy Liverpool from FSG in late 2017 and early 2018 apparently failed. The Mail asserted that, had Sheikh Khaled’s acquisition been authorised, it would have been the most costly in football history at the time.
The Reds stated at the time that they were not for sale, despite making it clear that they would consider accepting a minority investor under the right circumstances if it would further our commercial interests in particular markets and be consistent with the club’s and team’s ongoing development and growth.
The well-known Liverpool supporter Sir Martin Broughton attempted to buy Chelsea earlier this year and made hints that he would be returning to the game. In 2010, Broughton, a former British Airways chairman, served as Liverpool’s interim chairman. He is recognised for orchestrating the club’s eventual £300 million sale to FSG.
Broughton, a lifelong Blues supporter, joined his group 12 years later when Roman Abramovich decided to sell Chelsea. Evolution Media Capital and Creative Artists Agency, two US companies that are also the owners of the football agency Base, were going to provide him with a big financial boost.
His right-hand man in his bid to purchase Chelsea was Lord Sebastian Coe. But getting him back on board would be tough given his history as a Conservative MP.
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