What a remarkable conjuring act that would be if George Gillett and Tom Hicks do somehow manage to secure £124m in return for a stake in Liverpool. The Daily Telegraph yesterday indicated that there are two or three parties interested in picking up one of two unspecified stakes in the club, each available for a mere £62m.
Apparently, despite all evidence to the contrary, the co-owners believe Liverpool to be worth of £500m to £600m. So for that £62m you can buy yourself a little over 10% of a club that still has to spend more than £300m on building a new stadium.
Now £62m, neatly, bought Randy Lerner 100% of Aston Villa and, unlike Liverpool, it was not making a loss of £11m a year. Nor, unlike Liverpool, had Villa's auditors said there was a "material uncertainty" casting "significant doubt on [the club's] ability to continue as a going concern".
That material uncertainty, deferred when Liverpool refinanced a £290m loan in July, could return when its repayment is required. A spokesman for the co-owners did not come back with answers yesterday about when that will be. Previously, the club's lenders have not extended their loans for more than a year. The current loan's maturity could well be only seven months away.
Nor did the spokesman say whether the £60m that is supposed to be repaid since that July refinancing has been handed over on schedule. Nor was there any response to a question about whether interest payments will rise next year. But with so much clarity about what £62m will buy, who could resist?
Apparently, despite all evidence to the contrary, the co-owners believe Liverpool to be worth of £500m to £600m. So for that £62m you can buy yourself a little over 10% of a club that still has to spend more than £300m on building a new stadium.
Now £62m, neatly, bought Randy Lerner 100% of Aston Villa and, unlike Liverpool, it was not making a loss of £11m a year. Nor, unlike Liverpool, had Villa's auditors said there was a "material uncertainty" casting "significant doubt on [the club's] ability to continue as a going concern".
That material uncertainty, deferred when Liverpool refinanced a £290m loan in July, could return when its repayment is required. A spokesman for the co-owners did not come back with answers yesterday about when that will be. Previously, the club's lenders have not extended their loans for more than a year. The current loan's maturity could well be only seven months away.
Nor did the spokesman say whether the £60m that is supposed to be repaid since that July refinancing has been handed over on schedule. Nor was there any response to a question about whether interest payments will rise next year. But with so much clarity about what £62m will buy, who could resist?
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