Liverpool primed for business: Bezos, Bhatia and the next steps at Anfield

Changing times? Liverpool could soon have an injection of cash. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PAView image in fullscreenChanging times? Liverpool could soon have an injection of cash. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PALiverpoolExplainerLiverpool primed for business: Bezos, Bhatia and the next steps at AnfieldFenway Sports Group looks to be locked in talks with a consortium led by the son-in-law of Lakshmi Mittal while the Amazon founder has now been linkedAndy HunterWed 22 Jul 2026 20.31 BSTFirst published on Wed 22 Jul 2026 20.16 BSTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleWhat has happened?A consortium led by Amit Bhatia, the former co-owner of Queens Park Rangers and son-in-law of the Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, has opened talks with Liverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group, over buying a significant stake in the club. Neither party has commented on the size of the stake or the investment amount being offered but it is believed to be a provisional offer of £1.35bn for about 30%. Discussions began three months ago but FSG insists the talks remain at a preliminary stage.Where does this value Liverpool?The reported offer values Liverpool at about £4.5bn. Manchester United were valued at slightly less when Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought an initial 25% stake in February 2024, increased to 27.7%, although the latest valuation of United by Forbes was $7.2bn (£5.38bn). Forbes, again, had Real Madrid as the most valuable club in the world at $9.5bn, with Barcelona in second place at $7.5bn. Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital acquired Chelsea for £4.25bn in May 2022 as a distressed asset sale after the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government.Why would FSG potentially want to sell a minority stake?First of all, £1.35bn for 30% of Liverpool would represent a healthy profit on a club it bought for £300m in 2010 and whose value has soared since. And the principal owner, John W Henry, is a venture capitalist, after all. But it is also true that FSG remains fiercely com...