Liverpool's owners have agreed to sell around a third of the club to a consortium including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The deal will see Bezos participate in an investor group of a syndicate which is led by Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and until recently a shareholder in Championship club Queens Park Rangers. The deal installs some of world's wealthiest individuals as co-owners of Liverpool.
Bezos alone has a fortune estimated by Forbes at over £207bn ($280bn). This marks his first foray into sports ownership, although he will not join Liverpool's board as Bhatia will be vice-chair. Their investment in Liverpool values the club somewhere in the region of £6bn ($6-7bn), making it one of the sport's richest-ever deals.
Liverpool's new minority investors have an option to become majority shareholders of the Premier League club for a valuation of around $8bn in the next 12 months, according to Sky's US partner CNBC. Sky Sports News has been told the agreement announced on Friday includes a framework for future investment from the Bezos-backed consortium. However, sources have stressed the existence of such an agreement is not a guarantee of any future transaction.
Liverpool's statement says FSG continues to retain majority ownership and operational control of the club. FSG says the deal "supports Liverpool's long-term growth ambitions by bringing together experts from across global business, technology, and investment. "The consortium partners will work with FSG and the club's leadership team to evaluate opportunities that enhance the club's objectives on and off the pitch "FSG continues to retain majority ownership and operational control of Liverpool." Mike Gordon, FSG president, said: "Liverpool has always been built by thinking beyond one season and making decisions with the club's long-term interests in mind.
That approach continues to attract interest from respected investors and business leaders around the world. "As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special. "Their experience and perspective will complement the strong foundation already in place, and we look forward to working together." Bhatia said the consortium was "proud to be investing in Liverpool".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Analysis by Sky Sports News' Vinny O'Connor: "This is a deal that we knew was going to happen. It values Liverpool at just over $7bn, with this consortium taking a stake of around 30 per cent. "It's a minority investment and a long-term partnership.
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