Dubai investors are readying a “second” bid to buy Liverpool after the Premier League club’s owners put the Reds up for sale, according to reports.
On Monday, an Athletic report claimed Fenway Sports Group (FSG), who have owned the Reds since a £300million takeover in 2010, were welcoming offers for the club and have even prepared a sales presentation for bidders.
A statement from FSG was subsequently released that read: “There have been several 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.
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"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."
There has since been much speculation as to who may bid for the club, valued by Forbes at £3.89 million.
Dubai investors to make “second” bid
According to Arabian Business, investors in Dubai are considering making a bid for the Reds.
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This would allegedly be the second time the club has garnered interest from Dubai, with a previous attempt to purchase the club falling through in 2007.
Indeed, Dubai International Capital (DIC) “almost signed” for a takeover of the club 15-years-ago for £314 million, an unnamed former DIC boss told Arabian Business.
Middle East investors
It would not be the first time Liverpool has received offers from the Middle East.
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As highlighted by Sportbible, only last year there was reported interest from an unnamed Middle Eastern buyer, but their £3 billion bid was rejected.
Meanwhile, in 2017 the Daily Mail also reported that Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with FSG over months with a view to buying Liverpool.
Sheikh Khaled, who is the cousin of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour, allegedly proposed a £2 billion takeover with a Chinese minority shareholder.
In response, FSG released a statement insisting that the deal had broken down before they had even met with Sheikh Khaled.
$5 billion sale?
The popularity and global reach of the Premier League has meant that the price of its football clubs continues to increase exponentially.
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In May Chelsea was sold to Todd Boehly for $4.9 billion (£4.27 billion) however some analysts claim that Liverpool could fetch an even higher price.
Conrad Wiacek, who is head of sports analysis at GlobalData, told Arabian Business: “The sale of Liverpool could reach more than $5 billion, with the club generating over $160 million from its sponsorship deals for the 2022-23 season alone.”
Topics: Football, Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Premier League