Liverpool owners FSG take next step towards selling club

Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group are reportedly taking the next steps towards selling the club. The global firm, who also own the Boston Red Sox, bought the Merseyside giants for £300million in 2010 and have helped the club win their first Premier League trophy as well as the Champions League and the Club World Cup during their tenure.

According to The Athletic, Liverpool director Mike Gordon, who serves as FSG’s president, is stepping back from his current position at Anfield and is set to focus on a potential sale of the club, with chief executive Billy Hogan taking on a greater responsibility for operations.

Gordon, who has managed day-to-day matters at the club from Boston in the USA, has played a key role in Liverpool’s recent success and has a strong relationship with manager Jurgen Klopp. But major banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have been appointed to oversee the sale and prepare a full sales deck for interested parties.

“There have been a number of recent changes of ownership and rumours of changes in ownership at EPL clubs and inevitably we are asked regularly about Fenway Sports Group’s ownership in Liverpool,” read a statement from FSG.

MUST READ: Toney’s heartbreaking words after England World Cup snub by Southgate

“FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club. FSG remains fully committed to the success of Liverpool, both on and off the pitch.” And Express Sport now takes a look at three parties who have been linked with a takeover.

Stephen Pagliuca and partners

Stephen Pagliuca, who made the final shortlist to acquire Chelsea earlier this year, has been described as a “serious contender” to buy the Reds as he has close ties with FSG. The American acquired a 55 per cent stake in Italian team Atalanta earlier this year and is also the co-chairman of NBA giants Boston Celtics.

DON’T MISS…
Defiant pub boycotts World Cup over Qatar’s LGBTQ+ rights record
England’s 7 players worth £273m that missed out on World Cup squad
Man City beat Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal in England squad

Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and Sir Martin Broughton

David Blitzer and his business partner Josh Harris could look to revive a consortium with Sir Martin Broughton, who acted as a temporary chairman at Anfield when the club was last sold, in an attempt to get their hands on Liverpool. The billionaire duo currently own Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, as well as nearly a fifth of Crystal Palace.

HSBE, who also own Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils, joined forces with Broughton to try to buy Chelsea this year, together with Lord Sebastian Coe.

Dubai International Capital

The Gulf states have prodigious amounts of wealth, which means FSG could be looking to the Middle East when it comes to a sale. Dubai International Capital – a sovereign wealth fund – failed with their previous attempts to buy the Reds from David Moores after submitting an offer of around £300m in 2007. But it has been reported that investors in Dubai could now be “eyeing a purchase.”