Fenway Sports Group puts Liverpool up for SALE after 12 years of ownership

Fenway Sports Group (FSG) has put Liverpool up for sale.

In a dramatic shift for the American owners, who have owned the club since 2010, they are now inviting offers to the Merseyside club and a full sales presentation has been prepared for bidders.

FSG have been in charge at Anfield since October 2010, when they bought the team from George Gillett and Tom Hicks, but are now said to be making ‘inviting offers’.

Investment banking giants Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have reportedly been hired to assist in the process.

As of May 2022, Forbes valued Liverpool at $4.45bn (£3.89bn) – but as Chelsea was sold to LA Dodgers’ owner Todd Boehly for £4.25bn earlier this year, the Merseyside giants would likely demand a similar price.

In a statement to the AthleticFSG said they would be open to selling the club “under the right conditions”.

“FSG has regularly received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool,” FSG wrote.

“FSG has said before that we would consider new shareholders under the right conditions if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.”

FSG have enjoyed incredible success at Liverpool, especially since signing manager Jurgen Klopp in 2015.

The German coach delivered a Premier League title as well as the Champions League, the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup.

FSG, which also owns the Boston Red Sox baseball franchise, television network NESN, 50 percent of Roush Fenway Racing and Fenway Sports Management, is led by John W Henry.

In 2021, FSG sold an 11 percent stake in the company for $750 million (£655 million) to RedBird Capital Partners – a move that saw them reinvest that money to take a majority stake in NHL ice hockey team Pittsburgh Penguins.

It has not been all smooth sailing for FSG regarding their relationship with the Liverpool fans.

The group faced criticism in 2019 when they tried to trademark the Liverpool name.

Supporters group Spirit of Shankly strongly opposed the offer and successfully lobbied against the move.

Henry also publicly addressed fans last year to apologize for Liverpool’s part in a foiled breakout from the European Super League.

“I would like to apologize to all Liverpool Football Club fans and supporters for the disruption I have caused over the past 48 hours,” he said.

“It goes without saying, but it must be said that the proposed project would never survive without the support of the fans. No one ever thought otherwise in England.

“In those 48 hours, you were very clear it wasn’t going to last. We heard you. I heard you.’

Henry and wife Linda celebrate Liverpool’s 2019 Champions League victory

A year earlier, amid the global coronavirus pandemic, FSG was heavily criticized for: decide to fire their non-playing staff.

It forced a quick u-turn from the owners.

Liverpool turned over £533 million in that financial year and made a profit of £42 million – and yet they chose to participate in the government scheme where staff received a 20 per cent reduction in pay.

Ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher called it a “big mistake” at the time and was backed by then-CEO Peter Moore.

Four of the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United – are owned by Americans and FSG’s great statement comes as important news.

Nine clubs in the Premier League are wholly or partly owned by Americans after an increase in American ownership over the past two decades.

There is growing resentment towards FSG under Liverpool’s support, with the team in dire need of a revamp after years of continued success.

FSG’s biggest move off the pitch is the redevelopment of Anfield.

The main stand was transformed in a £110 million move while the Anfield Road grandstand is under construction at a cost of £80 million.

Both works will increase Anfield’s capacity to nearly 61,000, making it 16,000 larger than when they bought the club from Gillett and Hicks 12 years ago.

More to follow.