Liverpool could be heading for a stunning shake-up in their ownership structure, with American billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos reportedly closing in on a deal to acquire a major minority stake in the Premier League giants.
According to reports on Monday, August 10, Bezos is part of a powerful investment consortium that is in advanced negotiations to purchase roughly one-third of Liverpool Football Club from controlling owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG).
The consortium is being led by British-Indian businessman Amit Bhatia, the former Queens Park Rangers shareholder and son-in-law of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal. Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin is also reportedly involved in the investor group.
If completed, the blockbuster transaction could value Liverpool at around £4.4 billion, or approximately $6 billion, placing the proposed investment among the biggest football club deals ever recorded.
FSG, who have controlled Liverpool since purchasing the club for £300 million in 2010, previously confirmed that Bhatia’s consortium had expressed interest in making a “strategic minority investment” in the club. However, the current owners would remain in control if the reported minority deal is finalized.
An announcement concerning the transaction could reportedly come within days, although negotiations are still ongoing and no completed agreement has officially been announced.
Bezos, one of the wealthiest businessmen in the world, built his fortune after founding Amazon and has also invested heavily in ventures including Blue Origin and The Washington Post.
His potential arrival at Anfield would immediately send shockwaves across English football, with Liverpool adding one of the world’s richest individuals to their ownership group.
For Reds supporters, the biggest question will now be whether billionaire backing could eventually translate into even greater investment, commercial growth and ambition at Anfield.
