Tuesday, September 29, 2009

No Liverpool Takeover Bid Imminent – Top Football Broker

Liverpool are unlikely to receive a takeover bid any time soon, according to leading football broker David Bick, who has handled a number of high-profile takeovers, including those of Aston Villa, Manchester City, Manchester United and Leeds United.

Bick told Goal.com UK exclusively that he does not expect Saudi Arabian Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah to make any concrete bid for control at Anfield, despite reports emanating from the Middle East over the weekend that the Prince was close to securing a £350 million deal for a 50 per cent stake in the club.

Only today there were reports that Saudi sports investment company F6 had confirmed that talks to buy a major share in the club are ongoing – but Bick is sceptical of any such reports.

"As far as I'm aware, all talk has been pretty much squashed by the majority of papers this morning," said Bick, "And judging by the way it has been reported, with figures of between £200 million and £350 million suggested, it just seems a bit vague to me.

"There is a huge difference between those two figures. If serious investment was imminent, I would expect a much more specific figure to be given."

Prince Faisal was sat alongside Liverpool co-owner George Gillett at Anfield on Saturday to see the Reds thrash Hull City 6-1, but Bick, a trusted adviser of American billionaire Randy Lerner, believes this is not necessarily evidence of any proposed takeover bid.

"My understanding is that the reason this gentleman was at the game on Saturday was to do with the setting up of Liverpool FC academies in the Middle East," said Bick. "As far as any suggestion of a takeover goes, I would be say there is very little chance of any such deal occuring in the near future."

Liverpool's long time suitors, Dubai International Capital (DIC), have also distanced themselves from the story, claiming to know nothing of any such deal.

Amanda Staveley of PCP Capital Partners – DIC's financial advisory firm during their failed takeover bid at Anfield last year – told Goal.com UK exclusively that she was completely in the dark over the story.

"I'm afraid I have no comment to make whatsoever, as I know nothing of this story," said Staveley, who led negotiations with Reds' co-owner Tom Hicks during DIC's attempt to buy into Liverpool in late 2007.

Liverpool fans unfurled a huge banner at Anfield on Saturday in protest against their American owners, continuing what has been a long run of vociferous opposition against the way the club is being run financially, an opposition that looks set to continue for the foreseeable near future.

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