Bezos-Led Consortium Nears £1.35bn Deal for 30% Stake in Liverpool

Fenway Sports Group (FSG), which has owned Liverpool since 2010, is nearing a deal to sell a 30% stake in the club to a consortium of investors, as The Guardian first reported. The transaction is valued in the region of £1.35bn.

The investment group is led by Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and a former director and shareholder at Queens Park Rangers. Joining Bhatia are Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. While the deal is effectively agreed upon, The Guardian notes the process may take up to a month to finalize. Deloitte has served as the advisor on the transaction, through which Bezos will receive equity.

For Bezos, the 62-year-old executive chair of Amazon, this marks his first foray into football investment, despite previous interest in NFL franchises. The move aligns with a broader diversification strategy seen at Amazon, which has evolved into an entertainment provider by acquiring various sports rights. According to The Guardian, Amazon previously held UK rights for 20 Premier League matches per season for six seasons and currently broadcasts the Champions League in several European nations and select NFL games in the United States.

Financial scale defines the consortium's principals. Forbes estimates Bezos's personal fortune at approximately $257bn (£190bn), ranking him as the world's fourth-richest person, while Saverin's net worth is reported at $32bn.

This equity sale follows a previous divestment by FSG, which sold a 3% stake in the club to the US private equity firm Dynasty Equity in 2023. The deal arrives during a period of significant transition at Anfield. The Guardian reports that Andoni Iraola has replaced Arne Slot as head coach, Mohamed Salah has joined Trabzonspor on a free transfer, and Michael Edwards has left his position as chief executive officer at FSG.