Jeff Bezos closes in on 30% Liverpool stake as club valuation hits $6bn

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is reportedly close to acquiring a roughly 30 percent stake in Premier League giants Liverpool in a deal that could value the club at about £4.4 billion ($6 billion).

The proposed investment would make Bezos the latest billionaire to take an equity position in one of English football’s biggest clubs, while strengthening the ownership group around the reigning Premier League champions.

According to Sky News, a consortium involving Bezos is nearing an agreement with Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Liverpool’s controlling shareholder since 2010. FSG is reportedly preparing to announce the transaction as early as this week, although the timing could still change.

The investment group is understood to include Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, while the consortium is being led by Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and a former shareholder in Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

If completed, the deal would result in Bezos acquiring about one-third of Liverpool without FSG relinquishing control of the club.

The reported £4.4 billion valuation would represent a significant increase in Liverpool’s value since FSG acquired the club in 2010.

FSG has explored external investment opportunities in recent years while maintaining majority control of the club, and the latest deal would provide Liverpool with additional backing from some of the world’s wealthiest investors.

Bezos joins billionaire ownership group

Bezos, who founded Amazon, is one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, with an estimated fortune of more than $280 billion.

Saverin, another member of the proposed investment group, has an estimated net worth of more than $30 billion after co-founding Facebook.

Their potential involvement would give Liverpool access to a consortium with enormous financial resources as the club continues to compete at the highest level of English and European football.

Bhatia, who previously held a stake in QPR, has also been involved in sports investment and would lead the group seeking the minority holding in Liverpool.

The proposed transaction would not alter FSG’s position as Liverpool’s controlling owner. Instead, it would bring new investors into the club while allowing the existing ownership structure to remain in place.

Liverpool’s rising value

FSG bought Liverpool for about £300 million in 2010, transforming the club’s commercial operations and overseeing a period of significant sporting success.

Under FSG, Liverpool have won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, while establishing themselves as one of the most commercially powerful clubs in world football.

A valuation of £4.4 billion would therefore underline the dramatic growth in the club’s financial value during FSG’s ownership.

The potential investment also comes at a time when Premier League clubs continue to attract interest from global billionaires, sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors seeking exposure to the world’s most lucrative domestic football competition.

For Liverpool, Bezos’ proposed involvement would add another high-profile name to the club’s ownership structure and potentially provide further financial firepower as the Reds pursue success domestically and in Europe.

If the transaction is completed, Bezos would become one of the most prominent billionaire investors in English football, bringing the founder of one of the world’s largest technology companies into the Premier League’s increasingly wealthy ownership landscape. (BusinessDay)