Liverpool are still locked in talks about selling the club to the Al-Kharafi family in Kuwait, despite reports that the secretive Middle East dynasty were no longer interested in Anfield.
Instead, Kuwaiti representatives saw Liverpool beat 10-man Chelsea at Anfield and they are continuing negotiations with warring owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, having conducted their due diligence studies of the club’s troubled finances over the past few weeks.
Hicks’ main allies at Liverpool, commercial director Ian Ayre and finance boss Phil Nash, have been in Kuwait making presentations to the Al-Kharafis, whose patriarch Nasser has delegated nephew Rafed, a Liverpool fan, to be chief negotiator.
It is understood the Al-Kharafi family want the majority stake, with Gillett being bought out and Hicks keeping a reduced percentage.
The full price would be about £300million but that would also mean picking up debts of £350m.
Liverpool will be wary after the Al-Kharafi clan terminated talks last July without explanation.
The contract was ready to sign and all that needed to be done was to settle periphery issues.
Hicks was furious after five months of negotiations conducted under the football radar.
Equally upset at their wasted work costing them millions were Al-Kharafi’s UK financial advisers, understood to be football stockbrokers Seymour Pierce.
But the Kuwait billionaires haven’t gone away, although agreeing anything between Hicks and Gillett is problematic.
Instead, Kuwaiti representatives saw Liverpool beat 10-man Chelsea at Anfield and they are continuing negotiations with warring owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, having conducted their due diligence studies of the club’s troubled finances over the past few weeks.
Hicks’ main allies at Liverpool, commercial director Ian Ayre and finance boss Phil Nash, have been in Kuwait making presentations to the Al-Kharafis, whose patriarch Nasser has delegated nephew Rafed, a Liverpool fan, to be chief negotiator.
It is understood the Al-Kharafi family want the majority stake, with Gillett being bought out and Hicks keeping a reduced percentage.
The full price would be about £300million but that would also mean picking up debts of £350m.
Liverpool will be wary after the Al-Kharafi clan terminated talks last July without explanation.
The contract was ready to sign and all that needed to be done was to settle periphery issues.
Hicks was furious after five months of negotiations conducted under the football radar.
Equally upset at their wasted work costing them millions were Al-Kharafi’s UK financial advisers, understood to be football stockbrokers Seymour Pierce.
But the Kuwait billionaires haven’t gone away, although agreeing anything between Hicks and Gillett is problematic.
1 comment:
Kuwait consort has agreed to buy liverpool and will be announced mid march.
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