Liverpool look set to be the next club to be embroiled in a takeover saga. Following on from Newcastle United last season and Chelsea this summer, the Reds could be the next in line for a major change at boardroom level.
That is because a report in The Athletic has suggested that owners Fenway Sports Group have put the Reds "up for sale". Our friends at the Liverpool Echo have reported that FSG remain "fully committed" to the ongoing success of the Reds under Jurgen Klopp but admit they are open to the possibility of further investment from elsewhere.
FSG acquired Liverpool Football Club for a fee in the region of £300million in October 2010, buying the club from George Gillett and Tom Hicks. And the club have been hugely successful on the pitch since then, winning the Premier League for the first time and the Champions League for a sixth time.
READ MORE: How much FSG could demand to sell Liverpool after Todd Boehly Chelsea takeover
Things could be about to change though and a number of interested parties have been linked with a bid for the Reds.
One name that has been linked to a takeover bid is that of Sir Jim Ratcliffe - Britain's wealthiest man. And it is no surprise to see the INEOS chief linked with a bid, having been in the running for when Chelsea were put up for sale by Roman Abramovich. He was also mooted to be interested in a move for Manchester United, but could not get the Glazer family to sell up.
Ratcliffe, failed in his mission to buy Chelsea just a few months ago when he tabled a late £4.25 billion bid. His proposal was ruled out by Raine Group, who were handling the west London club's sale, according to Tom Crotty, a director at INEOS.
And, as quoted by The Times, a spokesman for the Ineos owner confirmed that Ratcliffe would be open to begin talks with the United owners over a deal. The spokesman said: "If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer. If something like this was possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership.
"This is not about the money that has been spent or not spent. Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, it feels like the time is right for a reset."
And Ratcliffe, whose INEOS firm own French club Nice, has delivered comments previously on owning a Premier League side. And they indicate he may well be interested in making a move for Liverpool, despite being a United fan.
Speaking at a Financial Times event last year, he said: "We have a sports franchise. We own a third of Mercedes' Formula 1 team. The one thing we don't have… football is the most popular sport in the world. We should have a Premier club. Nice has got a very interesting history. We'll have a look at what we might be able to do with Nice."
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