Soccer The Liverpool FC Super Thread
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the_crusader
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Huang seeks Liverpool takeover
Widespread reports in the English press suggest Chinese billionaire Kenny Huang is in negotiations to take charge of Liverpool.
Huang, the chief executive of Chinese sports investment company QSL, is said to have lodged a bid to the Royal Bank of Scotland, which would leave the current owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, without profit.
Hicks and Gillett are said to be looking for £600 million but - following the refinancing deal put in place earlier this year - RBS is able to take control of the sale if it feels it will offer the best chance of repaying its loan. Huang has apparently made a direct offer to repay the £237 million debt.
The Daily Telegraph claims that, as a result of Huang's valuation, Gillett has told the RBS he is in advanced negotiations with Syrian businessman Yahya Kirdi to delay the sale.
Hicks and Gillett put Liverpool up for sale in April but there has so far been little prospect of a deal being completed. A New York-based equity firm earlier made an attempt to purchase a 40% stake, but the bid was dismissed by the duo.
Hicks and Gillett purchased Liverpool for a reported £219 million in 2007 and, speaking in April, Hicks said: "Liverpool will be the most profitable investment I have ever made. I should make four times my money."
The Independent says Fernando Torres "was briefed on the approach some time ago and will be encouraged, on his return to Melwood, to await the outcome of discussions between the tycoon and Royal Bank of Scotland". Torres is keen to see further investment at Anfield.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=811318&sec=england&cc=3436
Widespread reports in the English press suggest Chinese billionaire Kenny Huang is in negotiations to take charge of Liverpool.
Huang, the chief executive of Chinese sports investment company QSL, is said to have lodged a bid to the Royal Bank of Scotland, which would leave the current owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, without profit.
Hicks and Gillett are said to be looking for £600 million but - following the refinancing deal put in place earlier this year - RBS is able to take control of the sale if it feels it will offer the best chance of repaying its loan. Huang has apparently made a direct offer to repay the £237 million debt.
The Daily Telegraph claims that, as a result of Huang's valuation, Gillett has told the RBS he is in advanced negotiations with Syrian businessman Yahya Kirdi to delay the sale.
Hicks and Gillett put Liverpool up for sale in April but there has so far been little prospect of a deal being completed. A New York-based equity firm earlier made an attempt to purchase a 40% stake, but the bid was dismissed by the duo.
Hicks and Gillett purchased Liverpool for a reported £219 million in 2007 and, speaking in April, Hicks said: "Liverpool will be the most profitable investment I have ever made. I should make four times my money."
The Independent says Fernando Torres "was briefed on the approach some time ago and will be encouraged, on his return to Melwood, to await the outcome of discussions between the tycoon and Royal Bank of Scotland". Torres is keen to see further investment at Anfield.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=811318&sec=england&cc=3436
Fanoftheyears
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I would much rather Huang to have control over the club rather than Kirdi tbh
The future of Liverpool appears far from clear after one interested party distanced himself from an official bid and another claimed they were on the verge of completing a deal.
Chinese businessman Kenny Huang seemed to be in pole position yesterday after approaching the club's major creditors Royal Bank of Scotland about taking over Liverpool's £237million debt to them.
His interest was passed on to Barclays Capital, who are handling the sale by the club's American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, and it then emerged there were five or six other groups considering offers.
However, this morning Syrian businessman Yahya Kirdi, who represents a group of investors from the Middle East and Canada, claimed a price had been agreed and a formal purchase agreement "is in the final stage of negotiation".
Much the same noises were made by Kirdi's representatives in April and no deal was done, and he has been dealing with Hicks and Gillett rather than through Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton, who has been detailed to sell the club.
And this afternoon Huang issued a statement insisting he has not made a bid for the club but was interested, also stressing any official comment would come from his Hong Kong office and not from the UK where briefings emanated from earlier this week.
The only thing to say about the latest developments is that Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is no nearer knowing whether there will be new owners in time for him to capitalise in the current transfer window.
Hodgson is steering clear of becoming involved in the issues surrounding a potential takeover but stressed whoever does come in has to put the needs of the club first.
"I was given the assurance I would be allowed to do the job in the right way and that has been the case since I have been here," said the 62-year-old.
"I don't get involved, I leave it to the people who know what they are doing.
"But I can only hope if the club changes hands it goes to a group of people who have the club's fortune and future at heart and that they will do the right thing by the club.
"I don't think anyone who has the slightest love for the club would want anyone coming in whose sole intention was not to keep up the high standards of the past and if anything make certain we can do that in the future.
"If a new owner comes in it is very important he makes clear to the supporters of this club, a worldwide institution, that they are buying it for the right reasons.
"Buying it because they want to maintain the level the club has been used to for the last 40 years and to make sure they don't drop from the high perch it has been on.
"That is what I would like to hear from the owners."
Under new rules on club ownership announced by the Premier League yesterday, all prospective owners are obliged to give the league 10 days' notice of a takeover and prove they have the funds to sustain the club.
Liverpool and a number of parties contemplating a takeover have already contacted the Premier League to alert them that a change of ownership could be imminent.
Kirdi claimed to have stolen a march on his rivals when he announced: "The group is in advanced negotiations with Thomas Hicks and George Gillett, co-owners of Liverpool Football Club, to purchase 100% of the club.
"Agreement has been reached on all major terms including the purchase price, repayment of the existing bank debt from RBS and Wells Fargo and financing of a new stadium in Liverpool's Stanley Park.
"A formal purchase agreement between the parties is in the final stage of negotiation."
Kirdi is a resident of Canada and a former Syria international who oversees investments in Europe and North America on behalf of his investor group, said the statement.
"Liverpool is a massive football club with passionate and proud fans in Merseyside and in every part of the world," said Kirdi.
"With additional money to improve the squad and financing in place to build the new stadium, LFC will be on a solid foundation to compete in the Premiership and in Europe for years to come."
Huang, meanwhile, appears to have taken a step back.
"Mr Huang would like to emphasise that he has registered interest in investing in Liverpool FC but has made no formal bid," said a statement.
"There has been much speculation and commentary from a wide array of people, many of whom have little knowledge of the facts.
"Unless there is a statement that specifically comes from Mr Huang or his authorised representatives, which presently is solely Hill & Knowlton Hong Kong office, we would suggest such comments should be given little credence."
Chinese businessman Kenny Huang seemed to be in pole position yesterday after approaching the club's major creditors Royal Bank of Scotland about taking over Liverpool's £237million debt to them.
His interest was passed on to Barclays Capital, who are handling the sale by the club's American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, and it then emerged there were five or six other groups considering offers.
However, this morning Syrian businessman Yahya Kirdi, who represents a group of investors from the Middle East and Canada, claimed a price had been agreed and a formal purchase agreement "is in the final stage of negotiation".
Much the same noises were made by Kirdi's representatives in April and no deal was done, and he has been dealing with Hicks and Gillett rather than through Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton, who has been detailed to sell the club.
And this afternoon Huang issued a statement insisting he has not made a bid for the club but was interested, also stressing any official comment would come from his Hong Kong office and not from the UK where briefings emanated from earlier this week.
The only thing to say about the latest developments is that Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is no nearer knowing whether there will be new owners in time for him to capitalise in the current transfer window.
Hodgson is steering clear of becoming involved in the issues surrounding a potential takeover but stressed whoever does come in has to put the needs of the club first.
"I was given the assurance I would be allowed to do the job in the right way and that has been the case since I have been here," said the 62-year-old.
"I don't get involved, I leave it to the people who know what they are doing.
"But I can only hope if the club changes hands it goes to a group of people who have the club's fortune and future at heart and that they will do the right thing by the club.
"I don't think anyone who has the slightest love for the club would want anyone coming in whose sole intention was not to keep up the high standards of the past and if anything make certain we can do that in the future.
"If a new owner comes in it is very important he makes clear to the supporters of this club, a worldwide institution, that they are buying it for the right reasons.
"Buying it because they want to maintain the level the club has been used to for the last 40 years and to make sure they don't drop from the high perch it has been on.
"That is what I would like to hear from the owners."
Under new rules on club ownership announced by the Premier League yesterday, all prospective owners are obliged to give the league 10 days' notice of a takeover and prove they have the funds to sustain the club.
Liverpool and a number of parties contemplating a takeover have already contacted the Premier League to alert them that a change of ownership could be imminent.
Kirdi claimed to have stolen a march on his rivals when he announced: "The group is in advanced negotiations with Thomas Hicks and George Gillett, co-owners of Liverpool Football Club, to purchase 100% of the club.
"Agreement has been reached on all major terms including the purchase price, repayment of the existing bank debt from RBS and Wells Fargo and financing of a new stadium in Liverpool's Stanley Park.
"A formal purchase agreement between the parties is in the final stage of negotiation."
Kirdi is a resident of Canada and a former Syria international who oversees investments in Europe and North America on behalf of his investor group, said the statement.
"Liverpool is a massive football club with passionate and proud fans in Merseyside and in every part of the world," said Kirdi.
"With additional money to improve the squad and financing in place to build the new stadium, LFC will be on a solid foundation to compete in the Premiership and in Europe for years to come."
Huang, meanwhile, appears to have taken a step back.
"Mr Huang would like to emphasise that he has registered interest in investing in Liverpool FC but has made no formal bid," said a statement.
"There has been much speculation and commentary from a wide array of people, many of whom have little knowledge of the facts.
"Unless there is a statement that specifically comes from Mr Huang or his authorised representatives, which presently is solely Hill & Knowlton Hong Kong office, we would suggest such comments should be given little credence."
THE LATEST ON LIVERPOOL IS...
The Times are making one helluva splash this morning. Or, depending on your point of view, it's Liverpool who are making a large splash in the Times. Either way, it amounts to the same thing:
According to the front-page lead of The Times, 'The Chinese Government is the mystery backer behind a bid for Liverpool Football Club... The debt-laden club is expected to change hands this month and last night the Chinese appeared to be in pole position to win a three-way takeover battle. The other bidders are a wealthy Kuwaiti family and an American private equity group.'
Meanwhile, the back page of the newspaper is dominated by the claim that 'Roy Hodgson will keep his job as Liverpool manager and be handed £150 million to spend on new players if the Chinese Government's bid to buy the club proves successful'.
The Times are making one helluva splash this morning. Or, depending on your point of view, it's Liverpool who are making a large splash in the Times. Either way, it amounts to the same thing:
According to the front-page lead of The Times, 'The Chinese Government is the mystery backer behind a bid for Liverpool Football Club... The debt-laden club is expected to change hands this month and last night the Chinese appeared to be in pole position to win a three-way takeover battle. The other bidders are a wealthy Kuwaiti family and an American private equity group.'
Meanwhile, the back page of the newspaper is dominated by the claim that 'Roy Hodgson will keep his job as Liverpool manager and be handed £150 million to spend on new players if the Chinese Government's bid to buy the club proves successful'.
CROUCH BACK TO LIVERPOOL?
Another claim of note in the Mail is that 'Roy Hodgson wants to take Peter Crouch back to Anfield two years after he was shown the door by Rafa Benitez.'
To quote a little bit more:
'Hodgson has made solving Liverpool's striker shortage his priority and is ready to test Harry Redknapp's resolve to keep Crouch at Tottenham with a £10million offer.'
'Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, who played with Crouch at Anfield, have sung his praises to their new manager and Hodgson believes the 6ft 7in England international would be able to either play alongside Fernando Torres or step in whenever the Spaniard.'
Another claim of note in the Mail is that 'Roy Hodgson wants to take Peter Crouch back to Anfield two years after he was shown the door by Rafa Benitez.'
To quote a little bit more:
'Hodgson has made solving Liverpool's striker shortage his priority and is ready to test Harry Redknapp's resolve to keep Crouch at Tottenham with a £10million offer.'
'Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, who played with Crouch at Anfield, have sung his praises to their new manager and Hodgson believes the 6ft 7in England international would be able to either play alongside Fernando Torres or step in whenever the Spaniard.'
Reports suggest that the consortium fronted by Yahya Kirdi expects to have signed an initial takeover deal with Liverpool by Sunday afternoon.
It emerged last week that the group of investors from the Middle East was interested in buying out Reds co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks and Sky Sports News understands that an agreement has been reached.
The consortium hopes that a first contract, which will not complete the takeover, will be signed before Liverpool kick-off their Premier League campaign against Arsenal on Sunday at Anfield.
All parties - including Kirdi's group, Gillett and Hicks, and the Premier League, which now has tougher rules regarding the fit and proper person test - are said to be ready to gather before the weekend.
Sky Sports News has also reported that the consortium has agreed to pay off all of Liverpool's debts to The Royal Bank of Scotland and Wells Fargo, and that funds will be supplied to complete the planned construction of a new stadium in Stanley Park.
There has also been clarification of Canada-based Kirdi's financial position, with the former Syria international said to be 'well off' and not a billionaire as has been reported in the past.
Earlier on Monday Indian conglomerate Sahara Group, one of the parties expressing an interest in buying Liverpool, cooled their interest, while Chinese tycoon Kenny Huang has also made enquiries.
Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton is overseeing the sale, being run by Barclays Capital, and is conscious of the need to make the correct decision when it comes to a change of ownership.
In July he stressed it was important to choose the most appropriate bid and not necessarily take the highest offer, at the same time confirming co-owners Hicks and Gillett could not block a sale to a particular party if it was deemed in the best interests of the club.
Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre make up the other members of the board and can out-vote the co-owners if there is no consensus on the best candidate.
Hicks and Gillett are not inclined to support the bid by Huang, as he has insisted there will be no profit for the Americans in his calculations over what the club is worth.
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Good to see the yanks are going but it looks we are in for more of the same under kirdi :S
It emerged last week that the group of investors from the Middle East was interested in buying out Reds co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks and Sky Sports News understands that an agreement has been reached.
The consortium hopes that a first contract, which will not complete the takeover, will be signed before Liverpool kick-off their Premier League campaign against Arsenal on Sunday at Anfield.
All parties - including Kirdi's group, Gillett and Hicks, and the Premier League, which now has tougher rules regarding the fit and proper person test - are said to be ready to gather before the weekend.
Sky Sports News has also reported that the consortium has agreed to pay off all of Liverpool's debts to The Royal Bank of Scotland and Wells Fargo, and that funds will be supplied to complete the planned construction of a new stadium in Stanley Park.
There has also been clarification of Canada-based Kirdi's financial position, with the former Syria international said to be 'well off' and not a billionaire as has been reported in the past.
Earlier on Monday Indian conglomerate Sahara Group, one of the parties expressing an interest in buying Liverpool, cooled their interest, while Chinese tycoon Kenny Huang has also made enquiries.
Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton is overseeing the sale, being run by Barclays Capital, and is conscious of the need to make the correct decision when it comes to a change of ownership.
In July he stressed it was important to choose the most appropriate bid and not necessarily take the highest offer, at the same time confirming co-owners Hicks and Gillett could not block a sale to a particular party if it was deemed in the best interests of the club.
Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre make up the other members of the board and can out-vote the co-owners if there is no consensus on the best candidate.
Hicks and Gillett are not inclined to support the bid by Huang, as he has insisted there will be no profit for the Americans in his calculations over what the club is worth.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good to see the yanks are going but it looks we are in for more of the same under kirdi :S
the_crusader
I'm a big blob of LARD
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Juventus agree to transfer Poulsen to Liverpool
Juventus have confirmed that Danish midfielder Christian Poulsen will join Liverpool for a fee of €5.475 million.
Poulsen, 30, joined Juventus from Sevilla in 2008 and made 33 Serie A starts in two seasons in Turin. He also anchored the Denmark midfield in all three of the country's appearances at the World Cup finals.
A club statement read: "Juventus Football Club can announce that it has completed the agreement with Liverpool FC for the outright transfer of Christian Poulsen for a fee of €5.475 million (£4.5 million) payable in two instalments.
"The fee will further increase by up to €1.2 million depending on his achievements during the contract period.''
Roy Hodgson has recruited the player as a like-for-like replacement for Javier Mascherano, who revealed on Thursday morning that while he enjoys playing for Liverpool, he is keen to leave England for a new challenge. Both Inter Milan and Barcelona are known to be interested in the Argentina captain.
Poulsen joins Joe Cole, Danny Wilson, Jonjo Shelvey, Fabio Aurelio and Milan Jovanovic in joining Liverpool this summer, and his international colleague Daniel Agger expects him to be a success at Anfield.
"Christian would be a perfect addition to most of the big clubs in Europe, so he will certainly fit in here," Agger said recently. "He is a top player and will make us stronger. We need to have big signings so we can compete and he is one of those players.
"Christian will improve the team. But we need more improvements if we want to be at the top of the league this season."
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=813824&sec=transfers&cc=3436
Juventus have confirmed that Danish midfielder Christian Poulsen will join Liverpool for a fee of €5.475 million.
Poulsen, 30, joined Juventus from Sevilla in 2008 and made 33 Serie A starts in two seasons in Turin. He also anchored the Denmark midfield in all three of the country's appearances at the World Cup finals.
A club statement read: "Juventus Football Club can announce that it has completed the agreement with Liverpool FC for the outright transfer of Christian Poulsen for a fee of €5.475 million (£4.5 million) payable in two instalments.
"The fee will further increase by up to €1.2 million depending on his achievements during the contract period.''
Roy Hodgson has recruited the player as a like-for-like replacement for Javier Mascherano, who revealed on Thursday morning that while he enjoys playing for Liverpool, he is keen to leave England for a new challenge. Both Inter Milan and Barcelona are known to be interested in the Argentina captain.
Poulsen joins Joe Cole, Danny Wilson, Jonjo Shelvey, Fabio Aurelio and Milan Jovanovic in joining Liverpool this summer, and his international colleague Daniel Agger expects him to be a success at Anfield.
"Christian would be a perfect addition to most of the big clubs in Europe, so he will certainly fit in here," Agger said recently. "He is a top player and will make us stronger. We need to have big signings so we can compete and he is one of those players.
"Christian will improve the team. But we need more improvements if we want to be at the top of the league this season."
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=813824&sec=transfers&cc=3436
Fanoftheyears
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Liverpool and Barcelona have apparently finalised a deal for Mascherano worth 15 mil + Hleb.
Deal of the year?
Deal of the year?
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Barca are cheering. Hleb is way past it and 15 million is nothing.
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Not to sound bias but once he left Arsenal, his form suffered badly.
Fanoftheyears
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I reckon he'll do fine back in the PL considering Gerrard, Cole and Torres are also playing well.