Liverpool's American rulers are reeling after Saudi Arabian Prince Faisal bin Fahd decided against pumping his family's millions into the Kop.
The Anfield club was in talks with the wealthy Arab owner of sports company F6 who was wooed by co owner George Gillett to buy a big chunk of the famous club.
Prince Faisal was a VIP guest at the thrashing of Hull earlier in the season and also invited Gillett to his Arabian base to discuss the possibility of taking a financial stake in the Kop.
However, People Sport can reveal the young Sheikh has told his closest aides to scrap any plans - despite the fact that Liverpool are out of the Champions League and more keen on a deal than ever.
Prince Faisal feels the asking price to buy out the club - £300million - is too high. And the option of taking just a 50 per cent stake does not appeal because the Saudi prince does not fancy a boardroom battle for power.
The collapse of the deal is a savage blow for Liverpool who knows that they must make the top four this season or lose out on the Champions League money that has been central to their planning.
Gillett had hoped the Saudi money would end years of bickering with co-owner Tom Hicks and score brownie points with Anfield fans.
Kop sources now say that Gillett is taking a back seat and that Texan Hicks, the hard man of the duo, is calling the shots about future planning.
Boss Rafa Benitez will not have any money to spend in the January transfer window unless he sells.
With reinforcements needed up front, Benitez could try to find a buyer for one of his midfielders - Lucas Leiva or Javier Mascherano - but is reluctant to let either of the South Americans leave.
The Anfield club was in talks with the wealthy Arab owner of sports company F6 who was wooed by co owner George Gillett to buy a big chunk of the famous club.
Prince Faisal was a VIP guest at the thrashing of Hull earlier in the season and also invited Gillett to his Arabian base to discuss the possibility of taking a financial stake in the Kop.
However, People Sport can reveal the young Sheikh has told his closest aides to scrap any plans - despite the fact that Liverpool are out of the Champions League and more keen on a deal than ever.
Prince Faisal feels the asking price to buy out the club - £300million - is too high. And the option of taking just a 50 per cent stake does not appeal because the Saudi prince does not fancy a boardroom battle for power.
The collapse of the deal is a savage blow for Liverpool who knows that they must make the top four this season or lose out on the Champions League money that has been central to their planning.
Gillett had hoped the Saudi money would end years of bickering with co-owner Tom Hicks and score brownie points with Anfield fans.
Kop sources now say that Gillett is taking a back seat and that Texan Hicks, the hard man of the duo, is calling the shots about future planning.
Boss Rafa Benitez will not have any money to spend in the January transfer window unless he sells.
With reinforcements needed up front, Benitez could try to find a buyer for one of his midfielders - Lucas Leiva or Javier Mascherano - but is reluctant to let either of the South Americans leave.
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