Liverpool owners FSG to complete '$3bn deal very soon' as Newcastle United PIF still have 'plenty to discuss'

Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group's latest investment could be completed 'very soon'.

The Boston-based group already boast an impressive portfolio that includes the Reds, Major League Baseball team the Boston Red Sox and National Hockey League outfit the Pittsburgh Penguins.

And after purchasing a franchise - now named Boston Common - in the pioneering new Technology Golf League that is spearheaded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy last June, golf is something of FSG's interest.

John Henry and Co. joined forces with a host of powerful investors and sports owners - including Arthur Black (National Football League's Atlanta Falcons) and Wyc Grousbeck (National Basketball League's Boston Celtics) - to form the Strategic Sports Group (SSG).

SSG have been in talks to invest in the PGA Tour since last year. After the formation of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund-backed LIV Golf caused a seismic fracture in the sport, the PGA and the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) agreed to a merger. However, an agreement has still to be given after the deadline of 31 December was extended.

But SSG are also keen to broker a deal, with a figure of $3 billion reported by ESPN. And according to 2013 Masters winner Adam Scott, who sits on the PGA board as a player director, that agreement is very much in the offing.

“At the moment we are at a critical stage with the SSG deal hopefully coming to a close very soon,” Scott said via The Times. “Everything seems to be moving as fast as it can, but we are always reminded these are very complex deals.”

On the deal with the Saudi PIF - who own Newcastle United - it has been mooted a new deadline for the Masters in April has been set. However, Scott played that down. The Australian said: “I think that’s people just picking random dates.

“I really don’t know. There’s been no date set for anything. They’ve still got plenty to discuss. Obviously, things are not in flush alignment, with Jon Rahm leaving to go over kind of rocking the boat when we are meant to be working towards some sort of arrangement, but there’s two sides in this negotiation.

“The reality is we can’t have professional golf in constant disruption. There needs to be more understanding that disruption is not good for anyone. It certainly won’t help the cause of LIV and PIF, and therefore Saudi Arabia, to be easily welcomed into the game, which is genuinely what I think they want. More cooperation is needed to get through this point we’ve been at for the past six months.”