London (AFP) – A consortium including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos bought close to 40 percent of Premier League giants Liverpool, the Athletic reported Tuesday. It was initially reported that 1892 Holdings had purchased a third of the club from Fenway Sports Group, the owners of 20-time English champions Liverpool, but the Athletic said the actual figure was closer to 38 percent. There is also an option for the consortium to buy a controlling stake in Liverpool in the next 12 months, though that does not involve a formal commitment.
US-based FSG said Friday it had agreed to the deal with 1892 Holdings, a consortium led by British-Indian millionaire Amit Bhatia and also featuring Bezos and Eduardo Saverin, who co-founded Facebook. American tycoon Bezos is the fourth-richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $256 billion. This is Bezos’s first investment in a sports team after he was previously linked with purchasing NFL franchises Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders.
Bhatia, the son-in-law of Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, was QPR co-owner for 18 years before stepping away from the English Championship club once his Liverpool link became public knowledge. FSG bought Liverpool for £300 million ($406 million) in 2010 and sold a minority stake of around three percent to global sports investment firm Dynasty Equity three years ago.
Liverpool start their Premier League campaign at Newcastle on Sunday. They are looking to bounce back from a disappointing fifth-place finish in the top flight last season. That failure led to Arne Slot being sacked as Liverpool manager just 12 months after he masterminded a Premier League title triumph in his first season since succeeding Jurgen Klopp.
With several weeks until the Premier League transfer window closes, the new investment could be a boost to Reds boss Andoni Iraola as he looks to strengthen his squad for the new season. Liverpool have so far spent around £94 million on signing Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz since the end of last term.
© 2024 AFP
