
Sky News reports that a investment group led by Amit Bhatia is moving toward finalizing an agreement to purchase approximately one-third of Liverpool Football Club from Fenway Sports Group, the club’s controlling shareholder since 2010. The consortium includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Eduardo Saverin, a co-founder of Facebook. An announcement regarding the transaction could come as soon as this week, though sources cautioned the timing might extend into the following week.
The transaction would value Liverpool at £4.4bn ($6bn), positioning it among the most significant ownership deals in sports history. Bezos, with a fortune estimated at over £207bn ($280bn) according to Forbes, and Saverin, valued at over £23.7bn ($32bn), would become co-owners of one of English football’s most historically successful teams. Bhatia, the son-in-law of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and former shareholder of Championship club Queens Park Rangers, is leading the syndicate.
Saverin previously participated in an unsuccessful bid to acquire Chelsea FC in 2022. The potential investment represents a broader trend of wealthy individuals viewing sports franchises as standalone asset classes. FSG, which acquired Liverpool 16 years earlier for £300m when the club faced financial difficulties, has seen its investment grow substantially. The last previous stake transaction involving Liverpool occurred in 2023, when Dynasty Equity purchased a minority interest valuing the club at more than £3.3bn ($4.5bn).
Insiders suggested the deal might involve a stake exceeding 30 percent, larger than initially anticipated. The arrival of such prominent investors is expected to generate speculation about potential future efforts to gain complete control of the club. Both FSG and the Bhatia-led consortium declined to provide additional commentary beyond acknowledging the expressed interest in a strategic minority investment.
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