Fenway Sports Group are ready to sell their majority stake in Liverpool and have taken the first significant step towards ending their 12-year ownership of the club.
Investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have been brought in by FSG to help find a party that would either be willing to pump money for a percentage – or buy Liverpool outright.
There has been a willingness from sources close to FSG to insist that they remain at the helm for the foreseeable future and this is simply a matter of looking for ways to bring in new investments – something they have always been actively looking for in the past. have searched.
But it is clear that last month an information memorandum was sent to potential buyers, which is basically a sales document, and that indicates that there is a significant difference from how situations have been in the past.
The timing of this development is important and the failure of a breakaway European Super League to start in 2021 and Chelsea’s £4.25bn sale in May are both believed to have been key factors in FSG’s decision. to test market interest in Liverpool.
When we asked about this on Monday, sources in Boston declined to provide any confirmation, nor would they provide any indication as to whether lead investor John W Henry, Chairman Tom Werner or President Mike Gordon would be attending this weekend’s home game against Southampton.
In early 2021, RedBird Capital, led by American billionaire Gerry Cardinale, bought a 10 percent stake in FSG, valued at £543 million at the time. RedBird was once speculated as a potential Liverpool buyer, but recently bought Serie A giant AC Milan.
FSG paid £300m for Liverpool when they bought the club – then on the brink of administration following the failing Tom Hicks-George Gillet regime – in October 2010, but it is estimated they could reach something up to £4bn if they are now making money.
Fenway Sports Group (owners John W Henry, second from left and Tom Werner, second from right) have announced they are making ‘inviting offers’ to sell Liverpool in dramatic ownership update
As of May 2022, Forbes estimated Liverpool at $4.45 billion as one of England’s greatest teams
In a statement, FSG said: “There have been a number of recent ownership changes and rumors of ownership changes at EPL clubs and it is inevitable that we are regularly asked about the ownership of Fenway Sports Group in Liverpool.
“FSG has regularly received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has previously said that under the right terms we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.
“FSG remains fully committed to Liverpool’s success, both on and off the pitch.”
During their 12 years as owners, Liverpool have won eight major accolades, including the Premier League and the Champions League. FSG have also overseen a massive transformation of Anfield, with a capacity of 61,000 next season when the new £60 million Anfield Road End opens.
Henry (center) and Werner bought the club from George Gillett and Tom Hicks in 2010
Since hiring Jurgen Klopp (second from left), FSG has had incredible success at Liverpool
The group faced criticism in 2019 when they tried to trademark the Liverpool name.
Supporters group Spirit of Shankly strongly opposed the offer and successfully lobbied against the move.
Henry also publicly addressed fans last year to apologize for Liverpool’s part in a foiled breakout from the European Super League.
“I would like to apologize to all Liverpool Football Club fans and supporters for the disruption I have caused over the past 48 hours,” he said.
“It goes without saying, but it must be said that the proposed project would never survive without the support of the fans. No one ever thought otherwise in England.
“In those 48 hours, you were very clear it wasn’t going to last. We heard you. I heard you.’
Henry and wife Linda celebrate Liverpool’s 2019 Champions League victory
A year earlier, amid the global coronavirus pandemic, FSG was heavily criticized for: decide to fire their non-playing staff.
It forced the owners into a fast U-turn.
Liverpool spent £533 million in that financial year and made a profit of £42 million – and yet they chose to participate in the government scheme that cut staff pay by 20 per cent.
Ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher called it a “big mistake” at the time and was backed by then-CEO Peter Moore.
Four of the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United – are owned by Americans and FSG’s great statement comes as important news.
Nine clubs in the Premier League are wholly or partially owned by Americans after an increase in American ownership over the past two decades.
FSG has invested over £190m to refurbish Anfield and increase capacity