Liverpool close to being sold to Dubai Holdings

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

Liverpool close to being sold to Dubai Holdings

Liverpool could soon be the next Premiership club under foreign ownership.

The Mail On Sunday reports the team could soon be bought out by Dubai International Capital (DIC) for around £450 million.

However, the deal faces opposition from Kop supporters and football authorities who are anxious to avoid another English club falling into overseas hands.

The DIC are a branch of the Dubai government-owned Dubai Holdings. They are already owners of a few English holdings such as Madame Tussauds and the London Eye.

Liverpool have been searching for investment for almost three years as they seek to erase £80 million of debts and fund a £200 million new stadium.

They recently rejected a £450 million bid from American multi-millionaire Geogre Gillett Junior as well as three rival bids.

The Anfield board has apparently settled on the Dubai company and has subsequently given them exclusive rights to study the clubs books.

If the deal goes ahead Liverpool will become the sixth Premiership club in four years to be taken over by foreign investment following Chelsea, Manchester United, Portsmouth, Aston Villa and most recently West Ham.

However concerns will be raised about a potential conflict of interest for the Dubai investors because of Arsenals relationship with the Dubai based airline Emirates.

Emirates and the DIC are both independent companies but are ultimately both an offshoot of the same government.

Arguments may be voiced that this could affect the competition within the Premiership.

When asked about the prospective deal Liverpool did not comment.

wtf middle east

zocoss SG

nvm lah… at least they will have more money to buy players again…

used SG

pool are in debts??
their season earnings not bad wad.....

zocoss SG

They don't seem to be marketing their products well enough... Maybe they need a new marketing team to push their products more vigorously. Neutral

Dead_Man_Inc SG

Dubai??

zocoss SG

DIC's chief executive, Samir al-Ansari, claims to be a supporter of the club but the company, although it has independent status, is ultimately owned by the Maktoums. They are willing to fund the £200m construction of a 60,000-seat stadium and will cover the club's long-term debts - about £80m - but it remains to be seen whether Rafael Benítez will benefit in the January transfer market.

dragg SG

all clubs except chelsea are in debt.

you think they pay money out of their pocket?

nobody run a business that way.

dragg SG

can anyone find the worth of the individual clubs anywhere?

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

Liverpool takeover moves a step closer

Liverpool are reportedly close to accepting a £450m deal which will allow a Dubai-based consortium to take control of the Anfield club.

The Dubai International Capital group will be allowed to begin the due diligence process this week, according to reports in Mondays newspapers.

American billionaire George Gillett and property tycoon John Miskelly are also thought to be interested in a takeover.

The proposed deal will include £200m to build a new 60,000-capacity stadium.

The due diligence process gives DIC - a subsidiary of the government-owned Dubai Holdings - exclusive rights to study the accounts of Liverpool with a view to finalising a deal.

The details of the deal are not known, and it is unclear whether it would be a full-scale takeover by DIC, or whether they would take over from chairman David Moores as majority shareholders.

But the news will concern those worried about the number of Premiership clubs currently in the hands of foreign owners.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Aston Villa have all gone through high-profile takeovers by foreign owners in recent years.

DIC is run by chief executive Sameer Al Ansari and owns the Madame Tussauds Group and the Travelodge hotel chain as well as one third of the London Eye.

The company is an investment arm of Dubai Holding, which is owned by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The Al Maktoum family are internationally renowned for their running of the Godophin horse racing stables.

Liverpool have been linked with other takeover bids in recent years.

In 2005, American billionaire Robert Kraft - owner of the New England Patriots NFL team - was linked with a bid for the club.

And in 2004 Thaksin Shinawatra, then Prime Minister of Thailand, made a high-profile bid to take control of the club.

zocoss SG

I don't think that is possible because most of these clubs are privately own therefore they may not wish to disclose their financial position unless they wish to be listed on the stock exchange or looking for a buyer... otherwise its quite hard to go through their books.

Even in Liverpool's case... it was not known until now and also how did they came about and set it at £450million. But according to the Sun...

"The Anfield club have given Dubai International Capital permission for an intense study of the books and a £450million deal seems to have come about...

The figure is made up of £250m for a new stadium and Liverpools current £80m debt, valuing the club itself at around £170m."

I guess not many people were aware that Pool had a debt of £80m outstanding... cos whenever its publish, Pool is alway in the top 10 as one of the most profitable club. Even if some knew they have, i guess many didn't expected it to be so much after all, Liverpool don't seem to have spend a lot over the last 5 yrs...

zocoss SG

Kop eye £450m buy-out

LIVERPOOL are at the dawn of a new era after taking a giant stride towards another foreign takeover in the Premiership.

Chairman David Moores has agreed to relinquish control and will sell part of his 51 per cent stake.

Moores has been seeking new investors for three years but has previously knocked back all offers most notably from local businessman Steve Morgan and now deposed Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The takeover means Liverpool could join the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea in having foreign owners, and is sure to meet opposition from fans proud of their Scouse traditions.