Report: Middle Eastern billionaire lining up £700m to buy Liverpool, announcement coming

Ownership of English football club Liverpool is likely to change again, just a few years after it was purchased by Fenway Sports Group from George N. Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks.

There are no rules governing the ownership of clubs in England, and that is why rumors of a £700 takeover by a secret Sheikh billionaire are already doing rounds.

If the acquisition is successful, Liverpool will join in the footsteps of Manchester City FC, which is owned by Sheikh Mansour. Though the bidder is still a secret, reports from The Daily Star claim that Sheikh Khalifa, Sheikh Mansour’s half-brother and the sitting president of the UAE is the force behind the takeover.

Manchester City’s rise after the change of ownership may have motivated the Sheikhs to consider the takeover as long as it is lawful. Liverpool has gained stability in the recent years, with the club missing the Barclays Premier League title by a whisker in the 2013-2014 season, and performing well under the current coach Jürgen Klopp.

Furthermore, with big money transfers already being discussed (notably the signing of Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich), the chances are high that the team will continue doing well in the coming seasons.

However, with the takeover, the Reds may soon part ways with their current owner John W. Henry and his Fenway Sports Group. The team is currently valued at £650m, a massive increase from its selling price of £300m six years ago. It is alleged that the secret bidder is confident of buying the club, given his vast net worth of more than £30bn.