Sunday, April 05, 2009

Kuwaitis Up To Buy Reds

Liverpool are edging closer to a £450 million Middle East take-over which would give Kop boss Rafa Benitez more transfer funds.

Talks between American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to sell all or a majority of their Anfield investment to a mega-rich Kuwait family are very advanced.

Despite denials, Nasser Al Kharafi – who is worth £9bilion – is closing in on a deal to become the new owner of the club.

His nephew Rafed Al Kharafi, who has attended recent Liverpool games as a guest of the club along with his chief negotiator Abdulla Al-Sago, are confident of striking a deal in the coming weeks.

What hasn’t been finalised is what percentage of the club the Kuwaitis will end up with.

While Gillett has given an indication he will sell all of his holding for the right price, it’s Hicks would like to still be involved – and could end up with 25 per cent of the club.

The pair, who are facing a July deadline to refinance a £350m loan that secured their ownership, now value the club at £500m.

They know that, without a huge cash injection, the planned new stadium would have to remain on the back-burner and Benitez would be handicapped in the transfer market.

That’s why the interest from Kuwait has been encouraged.

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