Great News Liverpool Fans: Saudi Prince Wants to Buy 50% Stake!
by YNWA on September 27th, 2009 427 words | 65 commentsAre the American jokers soon to be on their way?
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RIYADH (Reuters) – A Saudi prince said on Sunday he was prepared to spend up to 350 million pounds to buy a 50 percent stake in English soccer club Liverpool, Al-Riyadh newspaper quoted him as saying.
“We are currently seeking to buy 50 percent of the shares in the club which is now suffering of debts worth 245 million pounds,” Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah, who chairs private firm F6 and a Saudi-based holding firm called Fama Group, was quoted as saying.
“The transaction, upon which a decision is close to be reached, will be worth 200 to 350 million pounds,” he said, according to the newspaper. (Reuters)
Whilst it would be unwise to get too excited about the reported interest coming from Saudi Arabia without at first going into great detail about what such a group would plan to do with the club, it has gotten to the point where anything would be preferable to our current owners.
Tom Hicks and George Gillett may believe that protests against their ownership may lessen given the fantastic recent performances from the lads on the pitch, but they would be wrong. The fact that Rafa has managed to deal so well with the frugal sums of money handed to him is a great testament to the Spaniard’s managerial prowess. The fact that the American owners have landed the club in huge debts by buying the club with loans that the CLUB is now paying back the interest payments for, is unsustainable. The fact that the club was forced to shelve plans for a new stadium. The fact even though Mr. Hicks made a huge fortune from selling off one of his American franchises, but refuses to pump any of that capital into the club, these facts are irrefutable and evidence of their intentions.
The news that the pair were willing to sell off a 25% stake in the club to help build up capital was well received by fans as it meant that the days when this comical pair were in full control could possibly be coming to an end and the fact that a party has become interested in taking a 50% stake in the club is better news still.
Lets not get carried away though, it’s still early days but without doubt this news will be music to most fans ears. In this instance it is very much “better the devil you DON’T know than the devils we do!”
YNWA
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anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 11:43 am
please please SOS
saif - September 27th, 2009 at 11:51 am
already knew this apparently negotiations are in the final phases and the prince was at anfield yesterday happydays
Retryboy - September 27th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Won’t happen hicks and gillett offered 20% to dic b4 and dic wanted a bigger stake they refused think the owners were right to expect rafa to sell fringe players for new signings with so many in our squad that never play still think the jury is out on these 2 and whilst there are no immediate problems think protests will only disrupt another season and have rafa answering questions on that rather than the team
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 11:55 am
This is great news but we can’t get crried away. We were also linked with DIC but the Americans cocked it up for us so I say keep calm, but if it hapens then Premier League title he we come! ; )
Retryboy - September 27th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Also think that all these stories so far this season show how hard hicks and gillett are working behind the scenes
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Please do some thinking. If this is Gillett selling his share, the money will be his. Not the clubs. We will have a new owner, but still the same amount of debt.
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
maybe now we can buy players with the princes money. if this prince own the 50%. i can see villa, silva coming. pleease lets hoipe this comes true
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Fucking clowns out….settle for nothing less…
we are doomed under hicks and gillette
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
yes finally somebody with decent money will be involved in our club
according to arabs rich list, his family is top of the pile with £28-£30 billion
hopefully they buy 50% of the shares and buy the remaining 50% later on
if they get 50% they are said to be willing to give rafa between 40-60 million in january and 80 million in the summer
trust me im from saudi and this guy will not accept second best and will do whatever it takes to makeliverpool a giant again
happy days are just around the corner
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Wouldnt start bidding for david villa just yet…for every rich middle east backer who throws money around like drunken sailors(see man city) there are three who dont.
Take this news with an ocean of salt.
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
PLEASE BUY THE CLUB PLZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Wouldn’t that mean he also takes on 50% of the debt?
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
can;t see the egocentric pairing of G&H surrendering their holdings unless they can make a tidy profit out of it.
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
we dont even need all th eplayers you guys think!! torres up front on his own is better than anything!! we need a decent play maker and a back up striker and maybe a rw!!
Footie Fan - September 27th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
For liverpool to win the league they need to build a team around Torres and hope to hell that he doesn’t leave. Still think you need to strengthen your defence.
Ryan Babel - September 27th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
the sunday people said on bbc gossip that rafa will demand 45 mill to buy david villla. i think all we need is a good defence again, which we can still have with carragher and skrtel but we could do with a deffensive back up for johnson and torres to stay fit and on form all season and a back up striker. Is it true that rafa and skrtel swapped places.
Ryan Babel - September 27th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
though hopefully we can use babel as a back up striker or kuyt. i think it should be kuyt and babel competing for rm and back up st, and riera and benayoun competing for lm. though i think benayoun is playing gerrards role very well. cmon aqua man.
jimmyk - September 27th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
cant get too excited. i’ll believe it when it happens…and i bloody well hope it does.
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
dont build round torres same happened at athletico and was to much for him should be based on entire spine with more quality on the bench to cover injurys etc
Footie Fan - September 27th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Wake me up when its actually happened!
Ryan Babel - September 27th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
cant they just buy the whole club!!!!!!!!!!!
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
exactly… if this guy is as rich as reported then why shouldn’t he just buy the whole club and write off the debt. Sure would help RBS as well!
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
And if Gillett gets the upper hand over the club, what will happen to Rafa? No secret that Hicks is Rafas and Purslows man.
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
lets the arabs buy liverpool then in january buy david villa
NEVER FORGET 96 - September 27th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
I hope he does buy the shares and eventualy pay off those 2 jokers off so they can WALK ON right out of anfield! i dont really care who own’s liverpool as long as the dont sink us into debt – stick to there promises – and dig deep in there pockets to buy quality players JFT96
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
how rich is this prince?
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i did a little research, i cant find out how much this guy has in funds BUT
HIS FATHER has $21, billion dollars!!
look it up if u dont believe me, this could be good for liverpool
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
imagine u had 21 billion, like most of us wouldnt even care, we would just buy liverpool straight away n buy a load of players, id probly spend about 5billion on the club in players, stadium, training facilities etc, i wish!! ha
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I think this is proof of the outstanding work done by Christian Purslow our new MD, this guy has been outstanding so far and has transformed our commercial department. We don’t want huge money thrown around, we just want to build the new stadium. The deals we are doing are fantastic and really show our reputation around the world, we are all hoping for the best but i believe ‘the yanks’ can’t bollocks this deal up!!!!!!!
Tgan
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
i just hope that if this deal goes through for us that the yanks are made to pay off the debt they own .
what a big weight off are shoulders that would be
come on u reds
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Hope it happens just to end the excuse train from Loserfool supporters. Lack of silverware certainly has nothing to do with the shoddy defense the last few years. Villa will certainly be needed when Torres leaves for Spain to enjoy the favorable tax rates, better weather and increased protection. Can’t see Torres appearing like a battered housewife for another year when more money and a legitimate shot at silverware await at Barca/Real. The Saudis will fit right in to the “new” Britain since sharia has already been implemented throughout many parts of England. The Saudi’s unparalleled business acumen (it’s tough to pump black gold out of the ground and then sell it) will provide Pool countless trophies. Maybe Prince Charles will build more mosques to sweeten the deal. salaam alaykum
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
@anonymous 4.00pm
What an unbelieveable prick you are!! LOL!
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
anonymous – September 27th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
What team do you support “knobjockey” or does it depend on day of the week, and your mystic meg outlook is a little boring, however if you feel that envious of Liverpool then pls try and come up with something new and original when trying to slagg us off, asshole……………………………………………………
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
only 50% he has enough money please buy it all, i know this is amazing news bt i just want the yanks out along with a fair few other people!
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Heard it was a 25% stake in some newspaper (maybe Mirror)
Can’t see G&H releasing their grip unless it’s to pick up a few dollars. Money grabbers those two.
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
It must be sickening for all of the belters in the press that Liverpool will have a huge investor in the club, also how funny it will be to see the idiots who have slagged us over finances crying in ther cornflakes. The Saudi Royal Family are major big hitters across the world, their wealth is said to be towards $30bn. The prince has already signed a deal to set up LFC academies around the Middle East and North Africa, he is pictured in the Directors Box with Gillett and has seen the training ground and Academy. He is in London tonight putting the deal together so fingers crossed the new stadium can re-start sooner than later.
Retryboy - September 27th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Reports suggest deal with gillett is virtually done 125 million for 25% and that the prince is yet to meet hicks but that hicks would be receptive if the deal was right. So if the prince brokered the same deal with hicks he would have 50% and they would only have 25 each if thats the case does look more likely they are backing out with a small profit of 16m each off their shares alone. Would be gr8 news for the club just hoping it all comes off and the yanks don’t dig their heels in
RaNE - September 27th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
THANK YOU GOD!
although it hasent happened yet i am still happy to hear this hopefully hicks and gillet will have a 25% stake each while the arabs have 50% then in later months push the americans OUT
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
lets hope this happens, we dont need that much money spent, just the stadium built and a partner for torres( cartlon cole) replacement for kuyt(lennon or milner) a left mid(ashley young) and mascherano replacement( veloso, de rossi or toure)
Retryboy - September 27th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Really don’t want the club turning into a man city or chelsea tho like seeing the youngsters coming through the ranks just the odd big name, stadium and proper backing at a competitive level
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
if he was to only buy 25% of gillets stake in the club, wouldnt hicks have to give consent, so if hicks said no then we would have no one coming in.
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
rafas doing a cracking job with little money, wen he gets more money with new investors there wil be no stopping lfc just proves his the best manager in the bussiness com on pool lets get bak to where we belong and knock man u off there fucking perch!
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
we wont turn into a man city or chelsea not with king kenny looking after our youth system wer liverpool dont forget.
Warren Bloggs - September 27th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
fingers crossed!
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
GUYS.shocking news.i just searched the internet to see the details of the prince and found out he is already dead on 1999.
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
I don’t want club spending as much as Man City or Chelsea either!!!! Just as much clubs like Man U or Barca
One or two big signing:
Striker:
Aguero (35 million)(big signing)
Left Wing;
Silva or Young (25 million)(big signing)
Right Wing;
Milner (15 million)
Possible Macherano replacement??? (can’t be too good or we can’t play Aguero!!!) (Aguero probably could make him change his mind!!!)
Team:
Reina
—Usual back 4—
Milner-Gerrard-Masch/Aquilani-Young/Silva
————————–Aguero—————————Torres———–
Would be amazing but probably won’t happen
BUT THAT IS PROBABY WHAT THE MAN CITY FANS THOUGHT!!!!
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Right now there are people shitting themselves at the thought of Liverpool having such mega rich backers, we are almost there now and need very little to push over the line to win the league. Everyone will be hoping it doesn’t happen, if it does people really will fear Liverpool dominating like we have before over the years, we don’t want to see Liverpool throw cash about, just to see the fear in other teams is enough for me.
Ash T - September 27th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
if liverpool do get the new investors i hope they can sign milner, young, aguero and a replacement for carragher.
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
We don’t need to spend 100 million like chelsea or man city just about half that by spending like Man U.
35 million on Aguero
25 million on Young
15 million on Milner
=
75 million
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
if that american owner didn’t sell their share,we’ll not end top 4
Retryboy - September 27th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Think we can win the title as the squad is got gr8 players here this would see us debt free and the stadium back on, would love to see ashley young here tho don’t really rate milner as highly as others seem to, prefer lennon
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Here is some more facts boys enjoy
Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Saud who is one of 25 children of King Abdullah Al-Saud. His father has an estimated wealth of atleast 21Biliion although some sources quote that the entire wealth of the house of Saud is between a low but unlikely 50billion to as high as 1trillion(wow)
I think this puts things in perspective the owners of Man city are from UAE and ill compare the oil reserves(these quotes are from 2007)
UAE=2.33 million barrels a day and have 98 billion barrels in Reserves
Saudi Arabia=8.73 million barrels a day and have 262 billion barrells in reserves
Saudi Arabia also has the most export in Petroleum
By the looks of it the Saudi Royal Family would blow the Abu Dhabi wealth out of the water and if (probably a more question of when) they invest in a premierleague team hopefully us(still have doubts though) you will be catapulated right up there alongside Man City as the richest Club in the world
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Saud who is one of 25 children of King Abdullah Al-Saud. His father has an estimated wealth of atleast 21Biliion although some sources quote that the entire wealth of the house of Saud is between a low but unlikely 50billion to as high as 1trillion(wow)
I think this puts things in perspective the owners of Man city are from UAE and ill compare the oil reserves(these quotes are from 2007)
UAE=2.33 million barrels a day and have 98 billion barrels in Reserves
Saudi Arabia=8.73 million barrels a day and have 262 billion barrells in reserves
Saudi Arabia also has the most export in Petroleum
By the looks of it the Saudi Royal Family would blow the Abu Dhabi wealth out of the water and if (probably a more question of when) they invest in a premierleague team hopefully us(still have doubts though) you will be catapulated right up there alongside Man City as the richest Club in the world
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Has this arab prince gone mad ( too much sun I suspect ) ,I mean 125m for a quatre of liverpool FC ,got to joking old boy ,the whole of mersyside isn’t worth that . This is a case of scousers doing what scousers do best , robbing people and thinking they have a good football team whilst pretending that they don’t live in third world country .The rest of England should dis-associate our selves from these tramps and warn any Suadi tourists to avoid the area
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
What if the prince buys 25% from Hicks and 25% from Gillett?
anonymous - September 27th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Let us hope… and dream
anonymous - September 28th, 2009 at 3:54 am
if they did buy liverpool i wouldnt want a complete real madrid style overhaul. i think we should just get another quality striker (not villa he is too old to warrant a 40 mil buy i was thinkin more of aguero), a gerrard replacement for when he starts to lose it (lets face it its gonna happen and hes not exactly young any more) and then we are pretty much sorted. maybe some other additions for example milner, adam johnson etc just to get english numbers up while still improving. however i wouldnt be annoyed if we did overhaul megastyle i would jus preferr not to. just a bit extra for rafa per transfer window so maybe 30 mil per window instead of 20 per season. then jus get this stadium underway and improve youth facilities and we will be sorted.
anonymous - September 28th, 2009 at 6:15 am
Can you sense the fear in people already lads, the clock is ticking tick tock, tick tock. Dear oh dear what will happen if Liverpool get the stadium built and are sitting on a fortune.
anonymous - September 28th, 2009 at 8:34 am
oh my fuking god acoding to the mirror fuking hicks will stop this proposal and most of the other newspapers claim that the deal to sell 50% is nearly done (sun, daily star)
anonymous - September 28th, 2009 at 10:13 am
on the liverpool website today when you click on the picturesw of the game against hull there is a picture of a man standing next to gillet. could this possibly be him ??
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/match_pix/first/2009_10/759/medium/PROP090926-64-Liverpool_Hull.jpg
anonymous - September 28th, 2009 at 11:21 am
He is only young, maybe early 30’s. Don’t read the crap that is in the usual Liverpool hating press as they don’t want it to happen, the guy has clearly committed to building academies around the Middle East and North Africa. We have to see how much the yanks will sell now?, If they fuck this up they will be in deeper shit than ever with us fans.
anonymous - September 28th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Liverpool insider reports has already declared this supposed interest is not what it appears to be. There is no bid to buy Hicks or Gillet’s stakes. It’s a business interest looking to build academies in the Middle East. Besides, Hicks and Gillett are not looking to sell their stakes.
Ryan Babel - September 28th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
yh if this was to happen then it would probably just be the three of them owning the club or he may buy gillettes 50% according to skysports. however all i really would like for liverpool is to biuld a new stadium remove debts and buy 1 or 2 quality players, like aguero, and a gerrard replacement just so liverpool can compete properly for many years to come. as long as all our players are happy and we have good strngth in depth like man u n chelsea. ideally orur team would be:
Riena
Johnson Carragher Skrtel/Agger Insua
Mascherano
Aquilani
Kuyt Benayoun
Gerrard
Torres
Bench:
Cavlieri
Agger/Skrtel
a good RB e.g. Rafinha
Defour
Aguero
Aurelio
silva/mata
anonymous - September 29th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
fiorentina 2 liverpool 0 at half…WHAT ARE HICKS AND GILLET DOING IN DEFENSE? YANKS MUST GO!!! LOL
anonymous - September 29th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I agree… New stadium, Villa AND Aguero, Ticket prices to 5 quid and no new defenders (they’re so top notch) all without any NEW debt. Typical Liverpool mentality.