Liverpool FC’s American Owners Open To Sale Of Premier League Club

Topline

Liverpool FC’s ownership group indicated Monday it is actively exploring a sale of the Premier League club, possibly setting the stage for yet another multibillion-dollar sale of a European soccer team.

Key Facts

Liverpool owner Fenway Sports Group said in a statement provided to Forbes and other outlets it “would consider new shareholders” for the club but remained “fully committed” to Liverpool’s success.

Despite the coy wording of the statements, reports suggest that a complete Liverpool sale may be imminent: The Athletic reported earlier Monday that Fenway Sports Group hired Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley and sent a sales deck to potential investors, later corroborated by ESPN and Bloomberg.

Key Background

Fenway Sports Group also holds majority stakes in MLB’s Boston Red Sox and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. Its principal owner, John Henry, is worth $4 billion, according to our calculations, and also owns the Boston Globe. Fenway Sports Group bought Liverpool for about $475 million in 2010.

Tangent

Fellow Premier League titian Chelsea FC sold for over $3 billion this spring to a group led by American billionaire Todd Boehly after sanctions forced its Russian oligarch owner Roman Abramovich to divest.

Big Number

$9.81 billion. That’s how much we estimate Fenway Sports Group’s holdings to be worth, making it the third largest sports empire in the world, trailing only Arsenal FC and Los Angeles Rams parent Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and Formula One parent Liberty Media.

Further Reading

The World’s Most Valuable Soccer Teams 2022: Real Madrid, Worth $5.1 Billion, Is Back On Top (Forbes)