While FSG dropped hints behind the scenes, Mukesh Ambani focuses on competitors, the latest on the Liverpool Football Club takeover.
The Ambani takeover as FSG is still unsure about future owners of Liverpool
The Fenway Sports Group is looking for new Liverpool shareholders and hasn’t completely ruled out the possibility of selling the team outright. Major banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have been hired by the American firm, which is headed by primary owner John W Henry, to analyze the state of the market.
Recent ownership changes and rumors of ownership changes at EPL teams have occurred often, and as a result, we are obviously questioned frequently about Fenway Sports Group’s ownership of Liverpool. FSG routinely receives interest expressions from outside parties looking to invest in Liverpool. FSG has previously stated that, given the proper terms and circumstances, they would consider adding more shareholders if doing so would benefit Liverpool as a team.
Before FSG acquired Liverpool in 2010, Ambani was considering a takeover. Ambani and Subrata Roy reportedly agreed to pay off the club’s £237 million debt in exchange for a 51% ownership. Reliance Industries, owned by Ambani, claimed that news of a prospective offer for Liverpool were “false,” according to Indian media site ABP Live.
However, now it has been rumored that the Indian business tycoon is interested in ownership of rival clubs Manchester United and Arsenal. Moreover, Daily Mirror claims that the 10th richest man in the World (Ambani) would rather buy Arsenal over the Reds and the Red Devils.
FSG and Liverpool extension plans
The Athletic claims that it is doubtful that Ambani will be drawn to one of the clubs with the most illustrious histories in the Premier League. Akash Ambani, the family’s son, is reportedly an Arsenal supporter. The Ambani family would only be interested in the Gunners if they were to play English football because they formed the Indian Super League and are the owners of Mumbai Indians, an IPL cricket franchise.
Owners of Liverpool, Fenway Sports Group, had recently been considering how to diversify their football holdings. FSG is now evaluating what the future holds for their Reds tenure, opening themselves up to an expression of interest from those with very deep pockets who wish to take a controlling stake in the club. After buying Liverpool in 2010 for £300 million and attempting to grow the club into a global powerhouse once again over the following ten years, FSG is now evaluating what the future holds for their Reds tenure.
While some of their competitors still have an interest in expanding, it is believed that FSG has lessened this desire and is now more focused on acquiring more North American sports assets, where there are more opportunities for media revenue and more cost certainty due to salary caps and the absence of promotion and relegation across the major sports. The lack of a transfer market is another issue that FSG has found difficult to control as a result of their preference for maintaining financial stability and some of their rivals’ huge funds keep the market overinflated year after year.
