Liverpool takeover news as fresh Mukesh Ambani claim made amid FSG sale decision

It has been more than a month since news emerged that Liverpool had been put up for sale by Fenway Sports Group (FSG).

The decision, unsurprisingly, caused a significant shock not just among those of Reds persuasion but throughout football. Since purchasing the club for £300 million from much-maligned duo George Gillett Jnr and Tom Hicks, FSG have restored Liverpool to the apogee of European football.

Unsurprisingly, with a club of the Reds’ stature on the market, a swathe of parties have been linked. They have included a Saudi-Qatari consortium, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and a German group among others.

In the first week of it becoming public knowledge that Liverpool was on the market, Mukesh Ambani was mooted to be interested as per The Mirror. The Indian businessman is the 10th richest person in the world, according to Forbes, with an estimated wealth of $90.7 billion.

Ambani was interested in a Liverpool takeover in 2010 before FSG’s takeover. It was reported that Ambani, along with Subrata Roy, were willing to pay off the club’s £237m debt in return for a 51% stake

A spokesperson for Ambani’s Reliance Industries told Indian media outlet ABP Live that reports of a potential bid for Liverpool were ‘fake’.

It’s been suggested that Indian investment could also be interested in purchasing Manchester United. The Glazer family released a statement three weeks ago that they are exploring ‘strategic alternatives’.

However, Ambani being attracted to either of the Premier League’s most historic clubs is unlikely, according to The Athletic. It is reported that Ambani’s son, Akash, is an Arsenal fan. And if the Ambani family were to venture into English football, having founded the Indian Super League and also own the Indian Premier League cricket team Mumbai Indians, then they’d only be interested in the Gunners.

The report says: “Ambani’s son Akash, 31, is, however, reported to be a big Arsenal fan and The Athletic has been told by sources who have to remain anonymous to protect business interests that the London club is the one the family would go for if they did enter the football world. The Ambanis, who live in a vast 27-storey mansion in Mumbai, have also been linked with Liverpool.”

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has confirmed that there is no time frame on a possible sale. The Boston Globe reports FSG are leaning towards a partial rather than complete takeover.