Liverpool in talks to sell minority stake in club

Liverpool are understood to be in talks to sell a minority stake in the club to Amit Bhatia, the British-Indian millionaire and son-in-law of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal.

The potential deal would place a valuation on the Anfield club in excess of $6billion (£4.5bn), according to the Financial Times.

Bhatia, 46, left his role as director and co-owner of Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday afternoon, ending an 18-season association with the west London club, where a stand at Loftus Road carries his name.

The deal with Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Liverpool's owners, has not yet been completed, according to the BBC.

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Any investment would represent a strategic minority position rather than a full takeover of the club.

Before entering the world of business, Bhatia worked as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley on Wall Street.

He went on to establish a construction firm at the age of 32 that has since grown into the largest independent building materials company in Britain, employing more than 5,000 people.

His real estate business develops residential properties, student accommodation and commercial offices across the UK.

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He also holds interests in private equity and serves on the advisory board of the Saudi Arabian Government's cultural affairs and international relations unit.

In 2013, he received the young entrepreneur of the year award.

Bhatia married Vanisha Mittal in 2004 during a six-day celebration in France that cost upwards of $55m (£41m), at the time certified by Guinness World Records as the most expensive wedding ever held.

Vanisha's father, Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, has an estimated net worth exceeding $30bn (£22bn).

Should the deal go ahead, it would mirror the structure of a 2023 transaction in which FSG sold a minority holding to Dynasty, a global sports investment firm.

That arrangement was valued at between £82m and £164m.

FSG acquired Liverpool in 2010 for £300m when the club was teetering on the brink of administration.

The Dynasty investment was described as helping to reduce bank borrowing accumulated through major infrastructure works, including the expansion of the Main Stand, the redevelopment of the Anfield Road end, and upgrades to the training facility at Kirkby.

FSG first indicated in 2022 that it would welcome fresh investment in Liverpool, whether through minority shareholders or a complete sale.

"FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool," the group said at the time, adding that it would consider new partners "if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club". A full sale never came to fruition.

More recently, FSG investigated adopting a multi-club ownership model along the lines of Chelsea and Manchester City, evaluating potential acquisitions of Spanish clubs Malaga and Getafe as well as French side Bordeaux.

None of those deals progressed, and FSG is now understood to have abandoned the strategy entirely.

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