Liverpool FC

[westisbest]

It looks like LFC is going to be taken over by the 5th richest men in the world, with a personal fortune of $10bn, dwarfing that of Roman what-is-name. They are the president and vice president of the UAE

Dubai will buy RedsDec 4 2006




Exclusive By Chris Bascombe Liverpool Fc Correspondent, Liverpool Echo


LIVERPOOL Football Club is set to be taken over by the investment arm of the Dubai government, the ECHO can confirm.

Control will transfer into the hands of the world's fifth-richest man, whose personal fortune dwarfs that of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Barring a last minute hitch the stunning deal worth around £400m will go ahead in the next few weeks, taking Britain's most successful football club into a hugely exciting new era.

The takeover, which should ultimately delight supporters, represents a remarkable coup for the club and for Chairman David Moores and Chief Executive Rick Parry.

Both have worked tirelessly to ensure the Reds receive the huge injection of cash they need, from the right partner who understands Anfield's history and traditions.




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The deal will fund the building of the Reds' new 60,000 seater, £200m stadium in Stanley Park, clear the club's £80m debt and bring significant funds to develop Liverpool on and off the pitch, enabling them to continue to compete for the world's top stars.


Dubai International Capital is today embarking on a process of due diligence at Anfield examining details of the club's financial affairs before they sign the ag reement.


Provided that proceeds without a problem, the takeover could be concluded either at the end of this month or in the New Year.


The club is unlikely to make any statement until it feels the time is right.


However, the Reds' battle for investment is now all but over following talks with DIC - a company which owns Tussauds and the London eye and which is linked to Dubai's ruling Maktoum family.


The Maktoums are one of the world's richest, owning the Godolphin Racing stables as well as governing one of the most rapidly developing, oil-rich countries in the modern world.


Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum is Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Ruler of Dubai.


With an estimated personal wealth of $10bn, there are only four men on the planet with more cash than him.

[2005]

Before Carrick had left WHL Tottenham offerd him a four year deal worth £50,000 a week. Prior to that Tottenham's spending stood at £22m. Congrats, on joinging the rich, oh sorry I'm talking generating money by yourself not a Mummy and Daddy, will give you all you want, system

[tommygunn]

This looks promising the 5th richest man in the world is buying our club and building a brand new stadium great news.

[westisbest]

what a name

Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum

Most powerful man in the Emirates, maybe he can bring emirates airlines to JLA

[Durbsboi]

Awesome news, not only is this dude the 5th richest man in the world his companies shares prices fly up everyday, so Liverpool could be his ultimate investment, ooh the money LFC is going to get is mind blowing!

The only sad part to this deal is that Im deff sure the "Carlsberg" shirt sponsorship will fall away with the owners being Muslim, I stand to be corrected by saying that Liverpool's Carlsberg shirt sponsorship is the longest standing sponsorship for any club in the Premiership, i.e no other Premiership club main shirt sponsor's has equal or have been longer than LFC's. But that's just a minor thing. Finally England's most successful club will get the money it deserves!

[Durbsboi]

Originally Posted by westisbest

what a name

Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum

Most powerful man in the Emirates, maybe he can bring emirates airlines to JLA

Is it this guys son that started the A1 GP aka "world cup of motorsport"?

[Toadboy]

Originally Posted by 2005

Before Carrick had left WHL Tottenham offerd him a four year deal worth £50,000 a week. Prior to that Tottenham's spending stood at £22m. Congrats, on joinging the rich, oh sorry I'm talking generating money by yourself not a Mummy and Daddy, will give you all you want, system

Eh?

[westisbest]

Originally Posted by Durbsboi

Is it this guys son that started the A1 GP aka "world cup of motorsport"?

I cannot be sure, but in every hotel in the UAE there is a picture of him, Im used to seeing him with his white robe on and headwear so the image in the echo was strange, he rules the UAE and if you look at the imges from there i garuntee if this is a success, it will be global, even more so then Roman Imbram

[Awayo]

Originally Posted by Toadboy

Eh?

Toadiebonce, this new Arabian affair - what's your analysis?

[Toadboy]

Good for business, bad for fans.

Unless we're the flagship/PR arm like his horseys.

[Gareth]

Indeed, it's a bittersweet developent, like our LFC expert, Toadboy, has basically said. This was always on the cards. Maybe not with DIC, but since the takeovers of Chelsea and Man Utd, this has been an inevitability providing LFC aspires to rival these clubs. Expect this to happen to Arsenal and most upper table clubs over the next ten years. The fear is that the EPL will become as commecialised as the NFL in the USA but it's been going down that path for years.

[Pobbie]

Same here. It would be great if the Premiership went so out of control that it imploded so it could all start afresh. The opening game of the new season could include an execution of Peter Kenyon inside the new Wembley stadium just before kick-off.

[KiwiBrit]

Below is part of an interview given by UEFA's communications director.

Many in European football fear such takeovers will widen the gulf between super-rich clubs and the rest, and UEFA and the European Commission are currently considering new rules that would tie spending to a proportion of a club's revenue.

UEFA communications director William Gaillard told PA Sport: "There is no doubt the immediate threat in the short term is a huge increase in the gap between the haves and the have nots, and in the long term lead to inflation in wages and transfer fees and a concentration of power that could destroy the game.

"That is why UEFA are in favour of the Independent Football Review's proposals where a club is limited to spending a proportion of its revenue.

Interesting to see UEFA's views on the way these high powered takeovers are going. If they were to introduce a rule linked to a club's revenue, that would be a kick in the nuts to both Chelski and Liverpool.

The positive to come out of Liverpool's proposed take over is the club would write-off it's debt almost overnight and even more important IMO, they can build their new stadium with no knock-on effect to the strength of their playing staff.

What do most Liverpool supporters think of a middle eastern takeover. Would they rather see more of a fan of the club (eg. maybe someone British, who has been to Anfield) as it's owner?

[Durbsboi]

I was watching Sky last night, & they had they were interviewing guys on the street about the take over, most of the young guys welcomed the move, but many of the old folks didnt like one bit, most of them made a bit of sense by saying these guys might not be in it for the long run, could be for the quick buck, & by them injecting money into the transfer market, we buying the top player & paying them top salaries, if the investors pull out we wont have the money to pay them the salaries,

but I doubt Rick Parry & David Moores are that dumb not to have a proper contract agreement, and Im pretty sure these guys wouldnt just abandend LFC. Even too if we got the money to buy the top players, I doubt Rafa will go on a shopping spree, as usual he looks for up & coming talent, not talent thats been seen & has a huge prce tag over their head.

[Toadboy]

Originally Posted by KiwiBrit

Below is part of an interview given by UEFA's communications director.



Interesting to see UEFA's views on the way these high powered takeovers are going. If they were to introduce a rule linked to a club's revenue, that would be a kick in the nuts to both Chelski and Liverpool.

The positive to come out of Liverpool's proposed take over is the club would write-off it's debt almost overnight and even more important IMO, they can build their new stadium with no knock-on effect to the strength of their playing staff.

What do most Liverpool supporters think of a middle eastern takeover. Would they rather see more of a fan of the club (eg. maybe someone British, who has been to Anfield) as it's owner?

Why?

Liverpool only spend what they can afford or afford to service as a debt/liability.

Chelsea spend £100 million a year more than they make.

That won't change if the Dubai deal goes ahead, Liverpool FC will, from what I understand, be self financing, this is no sugar daddy or money launderer.

Foreign ownership of Liverpool FC isn't a problem, in this instance several of the Dubai groups heirachy are said to be Liverpool fans. Ironically a fan heading up a football club isn't necessarily the best option - emotional connection should be kept to a minimum.

[Avens]

Originally Posted by KiwiBrit

Interesting to see UEFA's views on the way these high powered takeovers are going. If they were to introduce a rule linked to a club's revenue, that would be a kick in the nuts to both Chelski and Liverpool.

Not at all mate. This proposal isn't about spending money the club have (like Abramhovic at Chelsea) but about putting Liverpool FC into a position it deserves to be in. I.e. we'll have a bigger stadium, more lucrative sponsorship deals and we'll be able to compete in the transfer market. Meaning we'll be able to sustain ourselves at the top through earning our money, rather than simply having money thrown at us.

[KiwiBrit]

Originally Posted by Avens

Not at all mate. This proposal isn't about spending money the club have (like Abramhovic at Chelsea) but about putting Liverpool FC into a position it deserves to be in. I.e. we'll have a bigger stadium, more lucrative sponsorship deals and we'll be able to compete in the transfer market. Meaning we'll be able to sustain ourselves at the top through earning our money, rather than simply having money thrown at us.

So what you are saying is the 5th richest man in the world will buy your club and NOT spend any of his own money on exorbitant transfers. He will wait until your new stadium is built (2/3 years) and then spend the additional revenue from that. Yeah right.

[KiwiBrit]

Originally Posted by Toadboy

Why?

Liverpool only spend what they can afford or afford to service as a debt/liability.

Chelsea spend £100 million a year more than they make.

That won't change if the Dubai deal goes ahead, Liverpool FC will, from what I understand, be self financing, this is no sugar daddy or money launderer.

Foreign ownership of Liverpool FC isn't a problem, in this instance several of the Dubai groups heirachy are said to be Liverpool fans. Ironically a fan heading up a football club isn't necessarily the best option - emotional connection should be kept to a minimum.

There is only two reasons this guy is buying LFC

1: He is a fan of the club and wants to see them succesful, in his case at almost any cost. I doubt you could clasify him as a fan because he's probably never been to the NW of England in his life, let alone visited Anfield.

2: He is a business man and sees LFC as a way of making money.

What sources do you have to claim Liverpool will be self financing? If so, why haven't they already began the construction of the new stadium, and spent some serious cash in the transfer market? I'll tell you why, because they are having trouble raising the finances! This guy will use his OWN money for any future spending, certainly in the short term. So yes, he will be your sugar daddy.

I'm not knocking that, in fact I'm a bit jealous. I wish he would come and buy my club and spend ALL his money on bringing in all the World's best footballers. But please, don't start telling us all nothing will change at the 'pool.

[Durbsboi]

Who knows what would happen when he does buy Liverpool, only time will tell, plus Chelsea got most of the top players,

[Toadboy]

Originally Posted by KiwiBrit

There is only two reasons this guy is buying LFC

1: He is a fan of the club and wants to see them succesful, in his case at almost any cost. I doubt you could clasify him as a fan because he's probably never been to the NW of England in his life, let alone visited Anfield.

2: He is a business man and sees LFC as a way of making money.

What sources do you have to claim Liverpool will be self financing? If so, why haven't they already began the construction of the new stadium, and spent some serious cash in the transfer market? I'll tell you why, because they are having trouble raising the finances! This guy will use his OWN money for any future spending, certainly in the short term. So yes, he will be your sugar daddy.

I'm not knocking that, in fact I'm a bit jealous. I wish he would come and buy my club and spend ALL his money on bringing in all the World's best footballers. But please, don't start telling us all nothing will change at the 'pool.

DIC are an investment company, they won't throw money around. Liverpool FC will be one of two things, the PR arm or flagship of DIC or a money making venture.

Football clubs don't make real money, no the sort of returns DIC could get elsewhere which leads me to believe LFC will be the former. Liverpool FC already outspend the rest of the league, barring Chelsea in net terms on player spending - having the stadium paid for in effect will mean that short term capital will be freed up and in the mid term the impact of 15,000 extra seats including 6,000 additional 'executive' seats will be felt from day one and not year 6/7 as at Arsenal.

In the long term a successful football club, selling loads of tickets, media rights big sponsorship deals etc. should ensure that DIC get a return on their investment. Liverpol are almost unique in British football, in fact the only other club that has real global appeal are the upstarts from Trafford Park.

And the fella heading all this up isn't the 5th richest man in the world.