One of the firms linked to a potential investment into Liverpool are not interested in taking a stake in the club.
GIC Private Limited, the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore, had been linked as one of the potential parties that were interested in taking a partial stake in Liverpool as club owners Fenway Sports Group sought to recapitalise the business ahead of a cost period of player acquisition.
But the ECHO has been informed by well-placed sources that there is ‘no truth’ to rumours linking GIC with an investment play with Liverpool and that it wasn’t something that was on the agenda moving forward.
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GIC managed around €700bn of assets globally and have offices worldwide. Their investment portfolio largely focuses on financial services and technology.
The Reds are valued at more than £4bn and FSG chief John W. Henry, in an exclusive interview with the ECHO last month, revealed that the initial search that was facilitated by US banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, had identified potential investors.
Talks with interested parties over a partial stake in the club are ongoing and a positive conclusion could arrive by the end of the summer.
A number of potential investors have been linked, with the ECHO having been told by US financial sources in December that FSG were likely seeking a ‘strategic partner’, potentially a media or entertainment firm, that could allow them to bring knowledge and expertise as well capital to help them bridge the knowledge gap and aid the growth of the business.
Other names to have been linked include Stephen Paglicua, co-chairman of Bain Capital and a co-owner of the Boston Celtics, the 68 year old, who also owns Italian side Atalanta, having lost out to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in a bid to takeover Chelsea last year.
When pressed on any potential interest in investing in either Liverpool or Manchester United, with both clubs open to investment offers, Pagliuca, speaking at the Financial Times’ Business of Football Summit in London last month, said: “I looked at Liverpool about 15 years ago when they had that situation.
“I can’t talk specifically about any transactions we are working on because of confidentiality agreements but obviously we are aware of those transactions.
“The questions on those transactions in general is what price level do we think is sustainable? Obviously the Chelsea process which received a record price has probably motivated folks to try and monetise clubs that they have owned for a long time, and we are certainly in a period where values have been driven up.
“Anyone who buys a club has to assess the economic opportunity, how much money we have to put in to keep up the quality and what that will cost you. That is what we do in everything we are looking at.”
Liverpool are set to head to Singapore as part of their pre-season preparations for next season. The club have opted to push back plans for a US tour, with the summer of 2024 a consideration in the run up to the 2026 World Cup in America.
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