Consortium including Jeff Bezos nearing deal for Liverpool shares
It has been suggested that an investment group including Jeff Bezos and Eduardo Saverin is nearing the end of negotiations to acquire a stake in Liverpool.
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It has been reported that a consortium including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is nearing an agreement in its negotiations to purchase a stake in Liverpool Football Club.
The investment group, which also includes Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, is reportedly led by Amit Bhatia, son-in-law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal. According to Sky News, the group is negotiating for a stake even larger than the 30 percent initially discussed.
It is stated that Fenway Sports Group (FSG), which has owned Liverpool since 2010, could announce a potential deal within a few days. As reported by Sky News and Al Jazeera, the transaction could imply a valuation of 4.4 billion pounds, or approximately 5.15 billion euros, for Premier League champions Liverpool.
This figure is considered one of the highest valuations ever discussed for a football club. FSG purchased Liverpool for 300 million pounds in 2010.
If the deal is completed, this will be Bezos's first step into sports club ownership. Bezos had previously considered making bids for NFL teams the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Commanders, but did not pursue those initiatives.
Liverpool and FSG did not comment on the reports.
GROWING INTEREST FROM US INVESTORS
In recent years, the interest of US investors in football clubs in the United Kingdom has increased significantly. The presence of Mark Walter alongside Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital at Chelsea is cited as one of the most notable examples of this trend.
At Crystal Palace, Woody Johnson joined American investors Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who control the club. While Bill Foley and actor Michael B. Jordan hold stakes in Bournemouth, the Friedkin Group, led by Dan Friedkin, holds a majority stake in Everton.
Behind this trend is the fact that football is gaining increasing attention in the US, and purchasing clubs in major American leagues like the MLB and NFL has become both more expensive and more limited. Partnership in Premier League clubs is still seen as an accessible investment area for billionaires from the technology and finance worlds.
Investment interest is not limited to football alone. It is stated that US groups have recently been turning to different sports in the UK, such as rugby, cricket, and motor sports.