New Liverpool Owner John W Henry Seals Takeover

US company New England Sports Ventures, owner of the Boston Red Sox, has completed its takeover of Liverpool FC.

The move comes after former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett removed the temporary restraining order blocking the £300m sale on Friday morning.

"I am proud and humbled," said NESV head John W Henry. "I can't tell you how happy I am. We're here to win."

Hicks and Gillett may now take legal action in England to secure damages after dropping a claim lodged in Texas.

The claim in the Dallas court was for £1bn in damages, with the American pair claiming the deal was "illegal" and an "extraordinary swindle".

"We believe that once the English court finally has a chance to hear all the facts, a very different picture will be painted," said a statement from law firm Fish & Richardson attorney Tom Melsheimer.

Still, there was an air of relief as news of NESV's completed purchase emerged - a move that will allow major creditors Royal Bank of Scotland to be paid the £237m it is owed on Friday.

A club statement revealed: "The transaction values the club at £300m and eliminates all of the acquisition debt placed on LFC by its previous owners, reducing the club's debt servicing obligations from £25m-£30m a year to £2m-£3m."

That, in turn, means Liverpool's holding company is unlikely now to be put into administration, a move which could have resulted in a nine-point penalty in the Premier League.

Henry, facing a media scrum inside the law offices of Slaughter and May in central London, added: "We're going to do a lot of listening, we have a lot to learn, and we'll walk this path together [with the fans].

"We regard our role as that of stewards for the club with a primary focus on returning the club to greatness on and off the field for the long-term.

"We are committed first and foremost to winning. We have a history of winning, and we want Liverpool supporters to know that this approach is what we intend to bring to this great club."

Chairman Martin Broughton - who revealed he would fulfill "a transitional role while John works out how to run the club" in the foreseeable future - added in a statement: "I am delighted that we have been able to successfully conclude the sale process which has been thorough and extensive.

"The board decided to accept NESV's offer on the basis that it best met the criteria we set out originally for a new owner. NESV is buying Liverpool in order to put it on an excellent financial footing and continue to develop it internationally.

"This is a good deal which comprehensively resolves the pressing issue of the club's debt and should give staff, players and fans great confidence regarding the future of Liverpool FC."

Former owners Hicks and Gillett had earlier lifted the restraining order blocking the club's sale earlier on Friday, but not so that the current board could complete a deal with NESV.

Hicks was believed to be negotiating the sale of his shares with US hedge fund Mill Financial, who already own Gillett's shares after he defaulted on a £75m loan from the Royal Bank of Scotland in August.

But the Premier League rejected Mill's requests to undergo a fit and proper person test on Thursday, saying it could only negotiate with the Liverpool board.

The board - comprising Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre as well as Hicks and Gillett - had already accepted a bid from NESV by three votes to two for them to become the club's new owners.

Hicks and Gillett, who gave up hope of holding on to Liverpool at a court in Dallas on Friday, could now bring their legal fight to the High Court in London.

Steve Stodghill, the Texas lawyer representing Hicks and Gillett, added: "This outcome not only devalues the club but it also will result in long-term uncertainty for the fans, players and everyone who loves this sport because all legal recourses will be pursued.

"Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillett pledged to pay the debt to RBS so that the club could avoid administration that was threatened by RBS. That offer was rejected.

"It is a tragic development that others will claim as a victory. This means it won't be resolved the way it should be resolved.

"My clients worked tirelessly to resolve these issues but RBS would not listen to any reasonable solution and the directors acted selfishly and illegally. Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett wanted to position this club for the future, but others have a different agenda.

"In truth, there is nothing positive from these events for Liverpool Football Club. That is exactly the opposite of what my clients wanted to achieve."

The Royal Bank of Scotland, however, vowed to "vigorously oppose" any attempts made to sue, saying in a statement: "RBS is pleased the sale of LFC to NESV has been completed.

"We are confident this will provide the foundation for the club and its fans to enjoy renewed success on and off the pitch.

"RBS is aware of reports that Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillett may intend to pursue further litigation in relation... the English courts have described claims made to date as "not realistic and abusive". Any further claims against RBS will be vigorously opposed."

Hicks and Gillett have continuously sought to prevent the purchase of the club they bought in 2007 for £174m, holding the view that Liverpool is worth much more than the £300m NESV offered.

It looked as though the prospect of it going down to a final day on Friday might be avoided after the latest High Court ruling on Thursday when Mr Justice Floyd issued an anti-suit injunction that rendered Hicks and Gillett's temporary restraining order, which they put in place to try and prevent a sale taking place, ineffective.

But Hicks and Gillett eventually withdrew their restraining order on Friday morning as it became clear Mill Financial would not be able to become Liverpool's new owners.

Liverpool, who face Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, are in the bottom three in the Premier League table after picking up only six points from their opening seven games.

Henry: Hard Work Starts Now

With the Liverpool takeover saga finally complete, new owner John Henry has vowed to tackle the task of restoring the club to the top of English football "head-on".

Henry admitted there are "real challenges" to be overcome in turning Liverpool's fortunes around, but that in the process of purchasing the club, areas of improvement have already been identified and work can be started immediately.

New England Sports Ventures, of which Henry is head, completed their protracted £300million takeover on Friday. NESV have a good track record in improving teams, with their significant investment in the Boston Red Sox baseball franchise after a 2001 buy-out bringing two World Series titles after a long drought.

Henry has had plenty of time to make an assessment of the situation at Anfield as a sale was agreed 10 days ago but has been the subject of numerous court disputes by former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. And now his group have taken control the project can begin.

"We're going to have to work very hard,'' he said.”There's a lot of work to be done to get this club to where it needs to be in the grand scheme of things. We really, through all the work we've done over the last two months, saw the challenges and problems which exist and we've got to work to address those. There is a great nucleus here off the field and on the field and we think we can build from that, but it's not going to be easy.

"We've got real challenges but we've got a very strong organization, financially and otherwise, we have some terrific strategic thinkers and we're going to be attacking this head-on.''

Liverpool will at least move forward as a virtually debt-free club as the takeover wiped out all the loans and costs associated with the purchase of the club three-and-a-half years ago by Hicks and Gillett. A result of those loans was the crippling interest payments of £40million a year - which are now a thing of the past. NESV said the club's debt servicing costs would drop to between £2million and £3million annually and manager Roy Hodgson already has his eye on an expanded transfer kitty.

Although the sale has been completed, there remains the threat of further legal action from Hicks and Gillett. Even though they withdrew their £1billion lawsuit, claiming an "epic swindle'', lodged in Dallas, they are plans afoot to return to the High Court in London - where their attempts to block a sale were thwarted this week.

"Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett have withdrawn without prejudice their Texas lawsuit in order to fully comply with the order of the English court,'' said Fish & Richardson attorney Tom Melsheimer. "We believe the order is overbroad and unfair, yet Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett respect the legal process. We believe that once the English court finally has a chance to hear all the facts, a very different picture will be painted.''

Hicks, who with Gillett has lost £144million in the deal, claimed Royal Bank of Scotland - the club's main creditors who forced the sale - and chairman Martin Broughton had breached his trust.

"This has been an organized conspiracy over many months,'' he told Sky Sports. "I can confirm there were funds available to pay off the bank completely but between RBS, the chairman and employees that conspired against us, they would not let us. I just want the truth to come out in the courts. It isn't over.''

Hodgson Wants NESV Backing

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has called on the club's new owners to back his efforts to lift the Reds out of the relegation zone.


The Anfield outfit's protracted takeover saga was finally resolved on Friday when New England Sports Ventures (NESV) saw their £300million offer go through.


NESV, who also own the Boston Red Sox and are fronted by John W Henry, claimed power from Tom Hicks and George Gillett after courtroom battles either side of the Atlantic, although the duo are refusing to go quietly.


Attention will now turn again to events on the field, where the Reds have endured a miserable start to the season, suffering humiliating home defeats at the hands of Northampton in the Carling Cup and Blackpool in the Premier League.


The reverse at the hands of the newly-promoted Seasiders saw the Kop turn their anger towards Hodgson, with chants of 'Dalglish, Dalglish' demonstrating that some supporters were keen for Reds legend Kenny Dalglish to take the helm.


But the former Fulham boss, who only replaced Rafa Benitez at the helm in the summer, has called for everyone to pull together in a bid to lift Liverpool out of the doldrums.


The first challenge for the now NESV-owned Reds is Sunday's Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park, with Hodgson warning against knee-jerk reactions should results not immediately improve.


Hodgson said: "I know I can turn it around but I need the patience and support to do it.


"All clubs need stability - managers and players as well - but that is becoming a very hard thing to find.


"I've always expected new owners and put my faith in the board to choose the right ones. From what I know of NESV and the Red Sox, they know their stuff and will be good for the club.


"This is a fresh start for the club and, hopefully, that means for me too. I was proud to come here and now I am even prouder.


"I signed for three years and it's a sad day for everyone if, after a bad start, people think the best solution is to wave a magic wand and look for someone else.


"But the prospect of having new owners doesn't greatly concern me because I knew the previous ones were not popular.


"John called me this week and said he was very much looking forward to working with me and the other people here - but there was no talk of my situation."

Hodgson Reveals There Have Been No Talks Regarding His Liverpool Future

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has admitted new owner John W. Henry has made no indication of his Anfield future.

Speculation was rife that Hodgson may be replaced by a new manager when a takeover was completed, however since New England Sports Ventures completed a deal to purchase the club, NESV partner Henry has not spoken about any managerial change.

The former Fulham boss confirmed he had spoken to Henry on the phone regarding the sale of the club, and the American did not discuss Hodgson’s position at the club, nor did he elaborate on a possible transfer sum for January.

"There hasn't been any talk about my position at the club,” Hodgson told Sky Sports.

"He called me and his message was that he was hoping the deal would go through, he was very much looking forward to becoming the new owner and he was looking forward to working with me and the people who were here but we didn't talk about investment."

The 63-year-old revealed he is optimistic NESV can create stability for a club that has been through turbulence on and off the pitch.

He added: "All people and clubs need stability, all managers and players need stability and it is becoming a very hard thing to find.

"We live in a world where you are either on top or at the bottom and the middle line is not appreciated by the mass media.

"I am hoping the new owners coming in will stabilize the situation and give us a chance to concentrate on the football and, most importantly of all, will wipe out debts.

"That will mean in future we can invest in players in a different way to what has happened in the last transfer window when money was in short supply and we weren't even certain there would be any money to spend or even if the club would be there.

"The mere fact the club will be taken over and the debts wiped off immediately put us into a different financial position to the one we have been in."

Hodgson Hints At Major Overhaul To Come

Roy Hodgson had his hands tied in the pre-season transfer window but with a new owner and the promise of money to spend after Christmas, an overhaul of Liverpool's squad looks imminent.

Joe Cole and Milan Jovanovic, the vastly experienced Englishman's two major signings since taking over from Rafael Benitez, were both free transfers and as John W Henry completed a protracted 300 million pounds ($480.8 million) purchase of the club on Friday, Hodgson hinted at major changes ahead.

"We have a limited squad of players," Hodgson told reporters on Friday. "I don't think we're as strong in depth as many of our rivals, I'd like us to be stronger.

"I think that the 11 players that we can put out from the start don't give me enormous alternatives at the moment, especially up front and that's where the most alternatives would be. We are also short of back players at the club.

"In midfield we have quite a lot of players, many of whom play in the same position, so for me to really be happy with the squad I would want to balance it out a bit differently to how it's balanced at the moment but I'm not going to do that in two and a half months."

Sunday's Merseyside derby against Everton will swing the spotlight back to the pitch from courtrooms either side of the Atlantic and with off-field distractions now settled, Hodgson will hope his players follow Jamie Carragher's example.

The Liverpool-born defender committed the rest of his career to the club by signing a new contract during this week's turmoil and Hodgson said he was one shining light during a season in which Liverpool have collected six points in seven games in the Premier League.

"In all the bad news you have to remember there are Jamie Carraghers around," Hodgson said.

"He is part of the heart and soul of this club and a man who literally would do anything to achieve success with the club.

"He has been one of the few players who in these seven matches could hold his hand up and say "I can't do any better, I'm playing at the top of my form. You could never put a lack of result down to my performance.'"

Tom Hicks And George Gillett Will Return To Court Over Liverpool Sale

Liverpool's former owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, have dropped a lawsuit filed just hours earlier claiming up to $1.6bn (£1bn) in damages over the contentious sale of the club, but said they will return to fight in the British law courts.

Liverpool said the club would be insulated from the effects of any lawsuit, which would have to be aimed at the named directors of the holding company that was dissolved yesterday once the deal went through, or at Royal Bank of Scotland.

After losing their battle to hold on to Liverpool FC, the attorney Tom Melsheimer said that Hicks and Gillett were dropping the claim in order to comply with this week's high court order.

But he said "a different picture will be painted" when the English court "has a chance to hear all the facts", indicating that the duo are prepared to fight on in their belief that the club's directors and its principal lender, RBS, conspired against the pair to sell the club for less than its true market value to New England Sports Ventures.

"We believe that it is appropriate to go back to court in England and seek relief from what we think is an unfair and over-broad order that had been entered without the benefit of a full hearing of both sides," he added. Melsheimer said the ruling on Thursday had taken place without legal representation from Hicks and Gillett and they wanted their view to be put to the high court.

"We want to be present and be heard. I think the court will realise that its original order is over-broad and unfair," he said.

"The fact remains, I don't think any judge in England or anywhere has had a chance to hear both sides of the story, We know the court have no interest in being unfair," he said. Some legal experts believe they could yet have a case, while questioning the size of the claim.

"If they can prove that the club was sold for less than its worth then they have a strong case. Proving the value of the club is intrinsically difficult. It is a particular expertise and difficult to accurately quantify," Danny Davis, a partner and football finance expert at Mishcon de Reya, said. "The $1.6bn they are seeking will, however, be significantly reduced to something more in line with the actual difference in sale price and value, if proven. Having mismanaged the situation legally won't help their chances either."

The decision to withdraw the claim came about two hours after the £300m sale of the club to the owners of the Boston Red Sox was finalized in London. That came after Hicks and Gillett dropped a temporary restraining order blocking the sale that had been obtained in a Texas court.

But even as they dropped the petition on the orders of a high court judge – who said the case had little to do with Texas and ruled they had failed to disclose the fact that they had recently lost a similar action in a UK court – Hicks and Gillett launched one final assault on the chairman, Martin Broughton, and the sale process.

"It's an extraordinary swindle and it will result in exactly the wrong thing for the club and the fans," said attorneys acting for the pair. "This outcome not only devalues the club but it also will result in long-term uncertainty for the fans, players and everyone who loves this sport because all legal recourses will be pursued," Steve Stodghill, the Texas attorney representing the former owners, said.

Hicks, who failed in a last-ditch bid to transfer his share of the club to the investment fund Mill Financial and so derail the sale, said: "This was a conspiracy of the British establishment, Royal Bank of Scotland, our chairman [Martin Broughton] and our highly compensated employees."

Following the completion of the sale, Liverpool moved to reassure supporters that the club would not be liable for any further legal claims. "If Hicks and Gillett pursue the legal route it would be an action against the English directors of Kop Holdings [which has now been dissolved] and/or RBS. There is no exposure for Liverpool FC," said a spokesman.

Tom Hicks Blames Rafael Benítez After Bitter Liverpool Battle

Tom Hicks has hit out at the former Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez as he defended himself and his fellow former co-owner, George Gillett, against claims they did not provide the necessary financial support to the Spaniard during his Anfield tenure.

"We spent £300m on players, £150m net – I think it's the second or third highest in the English Premier League," he said. "You never read about that in the media. I read a very interesting article in which Alex Ferguson [the Manchester United manager] said: 'Rafa had more money to spend than the rest of us, he just bought bad players.'

"Rafa lost the club. We didn't finish at the top – that's not the fault of the owners, we spent good money. Rafa has to take accountability for his own results. When we finished second the year before, people weren't nearly as angry. Liverpool fans are just unbelievably strong supporters and they want to win. I'm not a novice, I've been in sport for almost 15 years. Whether it's hockey or baseball in the US or soccer fans in Liverpool, people want to win."

The club's chairman, Martin Broughton, and creditors Royal Bank of Scotland, also came under attack from Hicks, as he claimed in an interview with Sky Sports News that they had breached his trust.

"This has been an organized conspiracy over many months," he said. "[Independent chairman] Martin Broughton wanted a good PR event in his life and be seen as the guy that got rid of those Americans – and he sold to another group of Americans.

"I can't go into the details but I can confirm the funds were available to pay off Royal Bank of Scotland entirely but between Royal Bank of Scotland, the chairman and the employees that conspired against us, they would not let us. They were people I thought were our friends, people I thought were loyal, and I was wrong."

Hicks said he had identified a buyer he felt would be better to take Liverpool forward, but claimed his attempts to broker a deal had been undermined by people inside the club. "My family members and I have been working very hard to solve the issue," he added. "We know there are better owners out there for the Liverpool Football Club than the Boston Red Sox group.

"We knew who they were. We were just frustrated that every time we had conversations with them we had people in our own organization who somehow had those things not work out. They conspired against us."

He added: "The process was continually frustrated by chatter about financial distress coming out of RBS. The interested buyers that we knew would be the right type of buyers for the club – look what's happened to Manchester City now with their new ownership – that's the kind of buyer we were trying to find for Liverpool and those people were scared off by the distress chatter and the organized internet terrorism campaign that was directed against people involved.

"I just want the truth to come out in the courts. Our desire was to get Liverpool into the hands of an owner who would be able to build a stadium and make Liverpool the top club in the world they deserve to be."

The 64-year-old Texan admitted that the debt he and Gillett had saddled on the club was "a little too much", but he hit out at RBS for attempting to drive through a sale too quickly.

Hicks said: "Liverpool is a very healthy performing club which covers its interest fine. It has a little bit too much debt, no question. But we were going to fix that and we were frustrated by others."

He conceded that his struggle to communicate with the fans since he took over in March 2007 had conspired to the bitterness surrounding his departure. "I accept that fact that something went wrong in my ability to communicate with the fans and I'm saddened by it," he said.

"I wish more people had the accurate information. It [the debt] has been a millstone because of the fans' reaction to it. There's been so many inaccurate numbers about what our interest bill is – we've had plenty of operating income to cover our interest payments with a lot of room to spare.

"We've invested. George and I put in $270m into the club. We've spent nearly $300m gross on players. About $150m net on players and you never hear that in the media. That disappears in all the noise and anger."

Liverpool To Make Hopeful Move For £14m Rated Italian International Striker

Roy Hodgson is planning a hopeful move to sign former Man United striker Giuseppe Rossi. The Villarreal striker is on the Liverpool manager’s short list for new striking talent as the Anfield boss looks to bring in reinforcements in January.

The Italian international has been a big success in La Liga and has netted four times this season to help his side to second spot in the table. The pint sized New Jersey born striker is in fourth season at the El Madrigal and has been a big success at the Yellow Submarines but has been linked with a move away from the Spanish minnows.

A move back to the Premier League may excite the 23 year old who may feel such a move would aid his chances of a regular spot in the national team set up.

The £14m rated goalscorer narrowly missed out on Marcello Lippi’s ill fated World Cup squad but his recent good form has helped force his way back into the manager’s thinking. The chance to ply his trade alongside Fernando Torres may well interest the former Old Trafford man and now that the issue of ownership at Liverpool has cleared up somewhat, Hodgson may well find himself with funds in January to put in a decent offer for the Italian.

Hicks And Gillett Lift Reds Restraining Order

Reports claim Tom Hicks and George Gillett have now lifted the Texas court restraining order preventing the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) from completing the sale of Liverpool.

ESPNsoccernet understands NESV have a banker's draft ready to dispatch to RBS before the 1700 BST deadline on Friday to erase any lingering concerns about Liverpool going into administration.

However, the early lifting of the injunction could also be because Hicks and Gillett are keen to push through a deal via Mill Financial. Hicks is apparently looking to sell his shares to the hedge fund, which acquired Gillett's shares in August, and it would then pay off the debts (which have risen to £280 million) to keep the club out of NESV's hands.

Indications are, though, that RBS has been advised by their legal team against accepting Mill Financial's offer to do so and it is still unclear as to whether Hicks requires the Liverpool board's approval to sell his shares.

High Court Rejects Attempts To Block Sale Of Liverpool

Liverpool's American owners suffered a further setback after a High Court judge ruled their injunction to block the sale of the club was ineffective.

The ruling paves the way for the club to be sold to New England Sports Ventures (NESV) for £300m, with an agreed deal likely on Friday.

On Wednesday, Reds owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett took out an injunction in Texas to block any proposed sale.

But Mr. Justice Floyd said that ruling had no validity in England.

Despite the second High Court ruling in as many days, Hicks and Gillett sought to extend the saga by requesting a further hearing in Texas on Thursday.

That court case has now been adjourned until 1300 BST (0700 local time) on Friday.

NESV, owners of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, also plan to make their own submission to the Dallas court to overturn the injunction obtained by Hicks and Gillett.

Mr. Justice Floyd has given the much-criticized owners until 1600 BST on Friday to withdraw their legal action in America, or face charges of contempt of court.

That deadline would allow the sale of the club to go through, which is essential if the club are to avoid defaulting on the repayment of £240m of loans due to Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) on Friday.

If that payment is not made, the club could be placed into administration and suffer a nine-point penalty.

During the afternoon's hearing, David Chivers QC, representing NESV, said his clients already considered themselves to be Liverpool's new owners.

And the head of NESV, John W Henry, was later seen entering the London offices of Liverpool's solicitors Slaughter and May for a meeting with the board.

Liverpool had been planning a media day to officially unveil Henry as the club's new owner on Friday, until Wednesday night's surprise injunction ended the plan.

But Reds chairman Martin Broughton said he hoped a deal could be sorted out before Sunday's Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park.

"We're nearly there. We've still got to take away the restraining order," said Broughton.

"Mr. Henry is very committed. My guess is we'll have it done and he'll be there but we've got to get rid of this order first."

BBC Sport's Brian Alexander understands Henry's group is not the only interested party, with Mill Financial still "very much part of the mix" and "waiting to dive in if a deal with NESV does fall through".

Following the judgement, a statement issued on behalf of the Liverpool board said they were "delighted with the verdict of Mr. Justice Floyd in the High Court".

It continued: "We are glad to have taken another important step towards completing the sale process."

The latest development of a story which has swung ferociously between London and Dallas, comes after Hicks and Gillett's reign at Anfield had looked close to ending on Wednesday.

Their attempt to block the proposed sale of the club to NESV, sanctioned by independent directors including Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre, was dismissed by the High Court.

But that ruling led the American owners to take out a temporary restraining order in a Texas court, halting any planned sale.

Hicks and Gillett's petition to the Texas court described the sale of Liverpool as an "epic swindle", and also laid out a claim for more than £1bn in damages.

And it was RBS which received the brunt of blame from the American duo, as the petition continued: "The director defendants were acting merely as pawns of RBS, wholly abdicating the fiduciary responsibilities that they owed in the sale.

"RBS has been complicit in this scheme with the director defendants."

Richard Snowden QC, representing RBS, said Hicks and Gillett's behaviour was "outrageous" and the proceedings in Texas were "plainly inappropriate.

"This dispute involves an English football club and three English companies and has no connection with Texas other than that Hicks and Gillett may reside there.

"It is a plain attempt to frustrate and impede the proceedings."

On Thursday, Mr. Justice Floyd came down in favour of the club again by granting an anti-suit injunction and criticizing Hicks and Gillett's conduct, calling it "unconscionable".

One aspect of the whole saga was made simpler when Singaporean businessman, Peter Lim, withdrew his £320m bid.

Lim stated: "The [Liverpool] board is intent on selling the club to NESV to the exclusion of all other parties, regardless of the merits of their bids."

John W Henry Vows To Keep Fighting For Control Of Liverpool

The Boston Red Sox owner, John W Henry, today pledged to fight Tom Hicks' "last desperate attempt" to hang on to Liverpool.

Henry said his New England Sports Ventures company has a binding agreement to buy Liverpool. His statement comes with Hicks looking likely to try to enlist Mill Financial – who already own George Gillett's 50% of the club – to pay the £280m debt to the Royal Bank of Scotland by today's deadline and thwart the takeover by NESV.

NESV believe any such attempt by Hicks would have to be ratified by the Liverpool board and they would be prepared to return to the high court to have their binding agreement upheld.

Henry said on his Twitter account this morning: "We have a binding contract. Will fight Mill Hicks Gillett attempt to keep club today. Their last desperate attempt to entrench their regime."

Time is running out for Hicks with a restraining order on the NESV takeover only in place until lunchtime today.

Tom Hicks’ UK Spokesman Confirms Liverpool Co-Owner Has Not Sold Shares To Mill Financial

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks remains in control of his share of the club and has not sold out to Mill Financial.

In another twist to the Liverpool saga, reports earlier today had suggested the hedge fund, a branch of Washington-based Springfield Financial, had acquired the Texan's 50 per cent share having already taken ownership of his fellow co-owner George Gillett's half.

This would have meant that if Mill Financial were able to repay the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) then any prospective sale to New England Sports Ventures (NESV), who have agreed a £300 million deal, could be in jeopardy.

But a UK-based spokesman for Tom Hicks told the Press Association Sport that Mill Financial had not acquired the shares.

RBS have also not had any recent contact with Mill Financial, while no approach has been made to the Premier League to notify them of another potential change of ownership.

The news is another twist to the saga, with RBS and Liverpool returning to the High Court this afternoon to block a temporary restraining order taken out by Hicks and Gillett in Texas last night.

The injunction was imposed just minutes before a board meeting which took place in London late last night.

At the meeting chairman Martin Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre out-voted Hicks and Gillett to complete the sale to NESV.

That was just hours after Mr. Justice Floyd had ruled the American owners had no right to block a sale.

Liverpool And Spurs Target Lyon Striker

Liverpool and Tottenham are tracking Lyon striker Lisandro Lopez, according to reports in the press on Thursday.

Harry Redknapp is scouring Europe for a new front man to help cope with playing a Champions League campaign and has also been linked with Sevilla's Luis Fabiano and Juventus' Vincenzo Iaquinta.

Liverpool also need a new striker to take some of the burden off Spain star Fernando Torres, although any move the Reds make is dependant on the ownership issue being concluded before the January transfer window opens.

Lyon are thought to be willing to let Lopez leave this winter if they receive an offer of around £14m for the 27-year-old Argentine.

Reina Craves Derby Spoils

Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina admits this weekend's Merseyside derby is of the utmost significance and insists it is vital the Red side of the city is triumphant.

Reina and co make the short trip to Goodison Park on Sunday when they lock horns with local rivals Everton as Premier League action swings back into force.

The Reds - who languish in the bottom three - went into the international break after suffering a humiliating defeat at Anfield at the hands of promoted Blackpool.

Everton, meanwhile, were victors against Birmingham City last time out and head into the derby with confidence back on their side after suffering a winless start to the campaign.

And Reina accepts the stakes have rarely been higher heading into the latest Merseyside tussle.

The Spanish custodian told The Daily Express: "This is the biggest in terms of needing the points for both teams. We are not in the best situation and we both need three points desperately.

"For whoever wins, it will be so important for the fans and for the optimism of the club. We have to win."

Reina still expects both clubs to be challenging for European slots come the business end of the season and expects Everton to offer a stern test after securing their first win of the campaign last time out.

The 28-year-old added: "We hope it isn't the real situation, or won't be the real situation at the end of the season. I think then both of us will be fighting to be in the top six.

"Everton's squad has been the same for a long time, they know each other and can almost play from memory. They can be good on the ball and also physical. To beat them at Goodison is going to be tougher than ever."

As Liverpool's takeover saga continues to rumble on, Reina remains focused on matters on the pitch, adding: "It's never nice to hear what is going on, about troubles and chaos. It's not good for the fans or the club.

"I've always said that it's not in the players' hands. All we can do is play, win games and try to work hard."

Jamie Carragher Inks New Two-Year Contract Extension

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has signed a two-year contract extension ahead of Sunday's Merseyside derby with Everton, the club have confirmed.

Carragher, 32, has spent his entire professional career at Anfield and has racked up 442 Premier League appearances. The ex-England defender would have become a free agent at the end of season but he has moved to commit the twilight of his career to the club.

It is understood that the deal contains no provision to join manager Roy Hodgson's coaching staff, although Carragher is currently taking his Uefa badges.

Spirit of Shankly Demand Fan Representation From New LFC Owners

Fans’ union Spirit of Shankly-ShareLiverpoolFC today welcomed the likely end of Hicks and Gillett’s ownership of LFC.

But they reiterated their desire for fan representation at ownership level.

A statement said: “At this stage we remain open minded about any new ownership regime. However our long held view that supporter ownership is right for Liverpool Football Club remains unaltered.

“The aspiration amongst supporters to become part of the ownership of LFC by investing our own money and to have our interests represented in the running of the club, still very much exists.

“Recent experience has demonstrated that meaningful fan representation through democratic supporter ownership is the only fail-safe way that we can ensure that a reoccurrence of recent events never happens again.

“This requires supporter ownership through a direct equity shareholding in LFC, in partnership with new owners, giving the supporters real and meaningful representation.

“This is also the best way that the club can rebuild its relationship with tens of thousands of disenfranchised fans who want the opportunity to invest in their club’s future. We will all be delighted to see the back of Hicks & Gillett, but at one level we are back where we were in 2007. This time, there is an opportunity to create a unique partnership between supporters and new owners to everyone’s benefit.”

Martin Broughton Begins Fightback Against Tom Hicks After Injunction

Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton and his legal advisers will this morning begin considering how to overturn the temporary restraining order filed by Tom Hicks that last night halted the sale of the club.

Broughton and John W Henry, owner of New England Sports Ventures, were close to sealing a £300 million deal before Hicks' dramatic 11th-hour intervention.

Discussions will now take place at the London offices of the club's solicitors, Slaughter & May, this morning with a full board meeting expected to follow once a legal strategy has been agreed.

One option being considered is to seek an order from a UK court ruling that the Texan writ has no jurisdiction.

An alternative will be to seek to have the temporary restraining order overturned by a higher court in Texas. This, though, could take longer and there is already an expectation that the case will take a couple of days to resolve leaving Liverpool's future uncertain until next week.

The timetable for resolving this issue may depend on whether Henry remains in the UK and sticks with the arranged plan to attend the Merseyside derby on Sunday.

Hicks’ suit, filed against Royal Bank of Scotland, club chairman Broughton, directors Christian Purslow and Ian Ayre, NESV and Liverpool finance director Philip Nash, claims damages totalling approximately $1.6 billion (over £1 billion).

The suit claims that RBS, the board and NESV conspired in an “epic swindle” to sell the club for less than its value.

Hicks accuses Broughton, Purslow and Ayre of acting “as pawns of RBS” for ignoring offers he says were higher than the £300m offered by NESV.

NESV Prepared To Wait To Buy Liverpool

Liverpool's prospective new owner NESV is prepared to wait to conclude its £300m takeover of the club.

The purchase was delayed on Wednesday after current owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett gained an injunction.

But having earlier won a High Court battle to seemingly confirm the deal, NESV chief John Henry is set to wait.

"He is prepared to wait for the order to be lifted. Sources tell me he has binding agreements," BBC sports editor David Bond said.

Hicks and Gillett gained the injunction in a Texas court only hours after their bid to prevent the £300m sale to NESV had been thrown out by the High Court.

The petition, in which they describe the sale as an "epic swindle", is due to be heard on 25 October, though Bond suggested that those wanting to push through the deal - NESV, Liverpool's board and the club's creditor Royal Bank of Scotland - will aim for a swift resolution.

"RBS is likely to try to push through the deadline," added Bond.

"There are meetings going on between lawyers, especially RBS's lawyers, about what they do next and the feeling is they want to put pressure back on Hicks and Gillett to allow this deal to go through."

Peter Lim 'Could Be Endorsed As New Liverpool Owner' - Martin Broughton

Chairman Martin Brougton has revealed Liverpool's board could still reject a takeover offer from John W Henry's NESV group and endorse an improved bid from Singapore businessman Peter Lim at a meeting at Anfield on Wednesday night.

The High Court ruled in favour of the club after current co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett attempted to block a forced buy-out last week.

But despite confirming a takeover is now imminent after Mr. Justice Floyd's decision, Broughton stopped short of naming Henry as the successful bidder - suggesting Lim's increased offer of £320million could still be accepted.

On the Court steps after the hearing on Wednesday, Broughton described himself as 'elated' but said nothing is guaranteed ahead of a meeting that will be held later in the evening.

'The board has to be reconstituted and I can't prejudge what the board is going to say. It would be inappropriate to do so,' he revealed.

'I want to thank the fans for their support through a difficult time. We hope to have the board meeting on Wednesday evening.

'We will get the right owners for the fans.'

Reds Board To Discuss Bids

Martin Broughton has revealed that the Liverpool board will meet to discuss all bids for the club on Wednesday evening.

The Reds chairman was speaking as he left the High Court following a ruling which has paved the way for a takeover of the club to be put in place.

Current co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks had hoped to block a move for control at Anfield, with the offers on the table falling short of their valuation.

However, with the club's creditors, the Royal Bank of Scotland, looking to recoup a £237million loan by a deadline set for 15th October, Mr. Justice Floyd has sided in favour of Liverpool and RBS.

Discussions with interested parties can now begin in earnest, with the Reds keen to get new owners in place as soon as possible, allowing them to clear their debts and focus their attention on matters on the field.

It was believed that a £300million bid from John W Henry's New England Sports Ventures was the preferred choice of the Liverpool board, with that offer having already been accepted.

However, a rival bid from Singapore billionaire Peter Lim has left the Reds facing a quandary.

Lim has promised £320m in cash and a £40m transfer kitty for the January transfer window.

Chairman Broughton has confirmed that there is no guarantee that NESV will be successful in their efforts, with the Liverpool board yet to sit down and discuss the latest developments.

"The board will be properly reconstituted by eight o'clock this evening, that was the judge's order, and proceed with the sale process," he told Sky Sports News.

"This will clear the way for a sale, but I'm not going to prejudge the board meeting. It would be inappropriate to prejudge what the board is going to say.

"But the club's going to have a great future. We will re-establish the right basis for the club.

"The acquisition debt that has been plaguing us will be gone, we have a great future. We will get the right owners for the fans."

While keen to steer clear of takeover talk for now, Broughton is delighted with Wednesday's ruling which has given the board power to negotiate a sale.

He said: "It was an excellent outcome. We have been confident all along. We think we have done the right thing. When you go to court, though, you can never pre-judge it."

Broughton admits he is disappointed that Gillett and Hicks felt the need to take proceedings as far as they did, but is pleased that progress can now be made.

He added: "I am disappointed that they have acted in this way, to try and breach the undertakings they gave me. But up until then they have supported the process."