A Chinese multi-millionaire has held takeover talks with
Liverpool.
The Independent says no offer has been tabled yet but
Zhu Jun, 44, the founder chairman and chief executive of The9 Ltd –
one of China's leading online gaming firms – is described by local
sources as "sincerely interested" in the club.
When Zhu's gaming firm floated on America's Nasdaq stock
exchange in 2004, Zhu pocketed around £60m and his personal fortune
has expanded considerably since. Zhu has a long-term active
interest in football and is the chairman and majority owner of
Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League.
An informed source in Shanghai says Zhu has already had two
exploratory meetings about buying Liverpool with Barclays Capital (BarCap), the
global investment bank. BarCap was hired by the club's new
chairman, Martin Broughton, to find a buyer after the owners, Tom
Hicks and George Gillett, formally put the club on the market last
month.