Liverpool co-owner George Gillett was in talks on Saturday night about selling a 25 per cent stake in the Anfield club to an Arab prince in a deal worth £125million.
Sunday Mirror Sport understands that Gillett has met with Prince Khalid al-Faisal and members of the Saudi royal family about investment opportunities at Liverpool.
Discussions initially began about various commercial projects but quickly progressed into talks aimed at bringing the prince in as a co-owner to work alongside Gillett and his fellow American Tom Hicks.
Any share deal would require the blessing of Hicks before it could be rubber-stamped. And although Hicks is yet to meet personally with Prince Khalid, it is understood that the Texan is ready to welcome a new partner if the terms of the deal are right.
Hicks and Gillett have been searching the Middle East for potential investors to ease the burden of the club’s £300m debts.
Liverpool had a record turnover last year and have just announced football’s biggest shirt sponsorship deal, worth £20m-a-year with Standard Chartered Bank.
But the club has been unable to finance the construction of a new 60,000-capacity stadium at Stanley Park because of the credit crunch.
And manager Rafa Benitez has been told that he must work within a strict transfer budget of £20m-a-year.
Sunday Mirror Sport understands that Gillett has met with Prince Khalid al-Faisal and members of the Saudi royal family about investment opportunities at Liverpool.
Discussions initially began about various commercial projects but quickly progressed into talks aimed at bringing the prince in as a co-owner to work alongside Gillett and his fellow American Tom Hicks.
Any share deal would require the blessing of Hicks before it could be rubber-stamped. And although Hicks is yet to meet personally with Prince Khalid, it is understood that the Texan is ready to welcome a new partner if the terms of the deal are right.
Hicks and Gillett have been searching the Middle East for potential investors to ease the burden of the club’s £300m debts.
Liverpool had a record turnover last year and have just announced football’s biggest shirt sponsorship deal, worth £20m-a-year with Standard Chartered Bank.
But the club has been unable to finance the construction of a new 60,000-capacity stadium at Stanley Park because of the credit crunch.
And manager Rafa Benitez has been told that he must work within a strict transfer budget of £20m-a-year.
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