Liverpool takeover news as former Arsenal co-owner makes sovereign states claim

Former Arsenal co-owner David Dein believes Fenway Sports Group (FSG) may have put Liverpool up for sale due to the collapse of a proposed European Super League.

It emerged in early November that the Reds have been put on the market by FSG, who have owned the club since 2010. It was revealed several weeks later that Manchester United had been put up for sale by the Glazer family.

In April 2021, both prestigious clubs were part of the 12 teams who had agreed to what was effectively a closed-shop Super League to some of the best clubs in Europe. However, FSG and the Glazer family admitted their mistakes after fan backlash, while the European Court of Justice has now ruled out the possibility of a potential breakaway league.

Speaking to The Times, Dein - who was one of the architects of the formations of the Premier League in 1992 - believes that is why both owners may be looking to sell.

The ex-Arsenal vice-chairman, who also is concerned about American owners threatening the pyramid system in English football, said: “I was very worried about the Super League.

“That was the owners not reading the tea leaves properly. They got the wrong message and that clearly was driven by owners thinking that there was a holy grail out there [of a closed shop and increased revenue] and that probably promoted the sale of Liverpool and Manchester United.

“They’ve got a different dynamic in the States. They have a sterile league and they can move franchises around from city to city. We’re not like that. We are passionate about our clubs. It’s club football that means so much and has to be protected.”

Dein also predicts that more clubs will be purchased by sovereign wealth funds in the future. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund bought Newcastle United last year while Qatar Sports Investments - a state-backed fund - have owned Paris-Saint Germain since 2011.

Dein added: “When I joined Arsenal, the people buying were local businessmen investing in their club and then it changed, they became millionaires [buying], then billionaires, and it will change again and become sovereign states.”