Liverpool
Premier League • England
Consortium in talks to buy Liverpool stake as FSG reveal ‘strategic investment’
Liverpool owner John Henry
A consortium led by British-Indian millionaire businessman Amit Bhatia has expressed an interest in buying a minority stake in Liverpool, following a statement from Anfield chiefs FSG.
Bhatia, who is the son-in-law of the Indian billionaire businessman Lakshmi Mittal, was director and co-owner at Championship side QPR for 18 seasons but stepped down from the board and relinquished ownership of the club on Tuesday afternoon.
And, in a statement, Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group confirmed to BBC Sport: “An investment consortium led, managed, and represented by Amit Bhatia has expressed interest in making a strategic minority investment in Liverpool Football Club.”
BBC Sport, however, adds that any deal ‘has not yet been finalised with FSG’.
Should the investment advance it will be similar to when global sports investment firm Dynasty were sold a minority stake in the Reds back in 2023.
FSG purchased Liverpool in 2010 for £300m, at a point when the club was on the verge of administration.
According to the Financial Times, a deal with the consortium led by Bhatia would value Liverpool at more than $6bn (£4.5bn).
FSG still looking for fresh Liverpool investment
FSG revealed back in 2022 that they were open to fresh investment in the Merseyside giants, either from minority shareholders or a potential full sale of the club.
It said at the time: “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.”
While that full sale never materialised, the agreement with Dynasty three years ago was valued at between £82m and £164m, and was hailed by FSG as ‘helping offset bank debt accrued from infrastructure projects’ including the ‘redevelopments of the Main Stand, Anfield Road end, and the club’s Kirkby training ground’.
Indeed, at the time, FSG president Mike Gordon said: “Our long-term commitment to Liverpool remains as strong as ever.
“[We want] to further strengthen the club’s financial position and sustain our ambitions for continued success on and off the pitch.”
Since then, FSG has even explored the possibility of purchasing a second club in continental Europe to add to its portfolio, similar to the multi-club models of Chelsea and Manchester City.