Potential Minority Stake Sale
Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the owners of Liverpool Football Club, are currently in discussions regarding the sale of a minority stake in the club. A consortium led by British-Indian businessman Amit Bhatia has expressed interest in this strategic investment.
FSG confirmed to a news outlet that an investment consortium, managed and represented by Amit Bhatia, has shown interest in making a minority investment in Liverpool. The deal has not yet been finalised.
If this investment proceeds, it would mirror a previous agreement from 2023, when FSG sold a minority stake in the club to the global sports investment firm Dynasty. FSG acquired Liverpool in 2010 when the club faced potential administration.
Amit Bhatia’s Background and Previous Ownership
Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of Indian billionaire businessman Lakshmi Mittal, has a background as an investment banker and is an entrepreneur with businesses in construction, real estate, and private equity. His construction company, founded when he was 32, is now a significant independent building materials business in the UK, employing over 5,000 people. His real estate firm develops homes, student housing, and offices across the country.
Bhatia, who is 46, was recognised as young entrepreneur of the year in 2013 and serves on the advisory board for the Saudi Arabian government’s cultural affairs and international relations unit.
He was previously a director and co-owner at QPR for 18 seasons before his recent departure from the board and relinquishing ownership of the club. A stand at Loftus Road is named after him. He married Vanisha Mittal Bhatia in 2004.
FSG’s Ownership Strategy and Recent Decisions
FSG indicated in 2022 that it was open to new investment in Liverpool, considering either minority shareholders or a full sale if it was in the club’s best interests. While a full sale did not occur, the 2023 agreement with Dynasty was valued at between £82m and £164m. FSG stated this deal helped to offset bank debt incurred from infrastructure projects, including the redevelopments of the Main Stand, Anfield Road End, and the club’s Kirkby training ground.
At the time of the Dynasty deal, FSG president Mike Gordon affirmed the group’s long-term commitment to Liverpool, aiming to strengthen the club’s financial position and support its ambitions for continued success.
FSG had also explored the possibility of acquiring a second club in continental Europe, following a multi-club model similar to those adopted by the owners of Chelsea and Manchester City. This involved examining potential purchases of clubs such as Spanish sides Malaga and Getafe, and French club Bordeaux. However, FSG did not proceed with any of these deals and is now understood to have moved away from this model.
This decision led to the departure of Michael Edwards last month, who had been rehired by FSG to lead the multi-club project. Current sporting director Richard Hughes is managing the club’s transfer strategy this summer and has a contract lasting until summer 2027. John W Henry, Liverpool’s principal owner, has maintained a lower public profile regarding club matters since apologising for his role in the European Super League project in 2021.
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Source: bbc.com
