Manchester United fans have reacted with jealousy at the news that Fenway Sports Group have put Liverpool up for sale.
The American investment firm have owned the Reds since 2010, with the club winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup during that time. By contrast, United have endured a steep decline, with their last title win coming in 2013.
Supporters of the Red Devils have held frequent protests against the club's owners, the Glazer family. But the Americans remain firmly in control at Old Trafford, with little sign that they are willing to give up their ownership of the Premier League giants.
Following the revelation that FSG are open to selling the Reds, United fans quickly expressed their disappointment that it was not their own club who were being put up for new investment.
One wrote: "First time I've envied anything Liverpool related in as long as I remember." While another supporter lamented: "God dammit, why can't it just be us?"
Many United supporters believe that Liverpool will now be bought by a Middle Eastern country's sovereign investment fund, much like Newcastle or Manchester City. And that would mean fresh investment in the Reds' squad.
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A Red Devils fan said: "They'll get purchased by an oil-rich country. We're never going to get rid of the Glazers." With another adding: "Soon Liverpool are filthy rich.. their new owners want to make statement signings so we can forget Bellingham etc.. we need new owners or we can’t compete."
There were a few, however, who were hopeful that Liverpool's next owners will not be as successful as FSG. Though it has been widely accepted that the Reds will remain ahead of their bitter rivals.
"It is sad but it is not a guarantee that Liverpool will be bought by better owners. Liverpool fans go on about FSG not being great owners but they did a decent job, they just don’t have an infinite amount of oil money to keep up with City and were actually running finances very prudently while still supporting Klopp," one supporter wrote on Reddit.
"This is to say there is no guarantee that new owners will be better unless it is an oil backed fund. Although chances are it will be bought by a oil-heir looking for a toy because sports clubs are not the greatest bid of business with those billions, specially not with macro conditions we are in."
FSG have insisted that they remain "fully committed" to bringing success to Liverpool. But they also admitted that they will sell the Reds if the right price and the right suitors are found.
“There have been a number of recent changes of ownership and rumours of changes in ownership at EPL clubs. Inevitably we are asked regularly about Fenway Sports Group’s ownership in Liverpool," the firm said in a statement.
"FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club. FSG remains fully committed to the success of Liverpool, both on and off the pitch.”
