A potential new Liverpool investor has emerged after a billionaire NBA owner expressed continued interest in buying a Premier League club following failed attempts to buy Chelsea.
You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Fenway Sports Group was looking for minority investors following the November news, with very little movement on that front since.
An FSG partner only admitted last week that the club need a “massive investment” to compete at the top, but there has been little news of developments in recent months.
NBA Bolton Celtics owner Steve Pagliuca has revealed he is “assessing opportunities” in the Premier League despite losing to Todd Boehly’s purchase of Chelsea last year.
Speaking on the Bloomberg Talks podcast, Pagliuca admitted he was still exploring the possibility of buying an English top-flight club, but expressed some concerns about the direction the sport is taking at elite level.
“A league like the Premier League, if three or four teams are owned by a ruler with virtually unlimited investment, to be in the Champions League there is really only a place for the other 16 teams that don’t have that kind of assets.” explains the 68-year-old.
“We look at the opportunities [in the Premier League]. I think there is a higher limit than there would have been in terms of needing to make sure we have an academy and a facility where we can keep up with economic inequality.”
A financial expert said earlier this month that FSG is seeking between £400m and £500m for a 10 to 15% minority stake.
Pagliuca has ruled out the transfer of one of last season’s top four teams due to lack of availability. Manchester United’s takeover was nearing completion.
“It’s almost impossible to get to the Champions League unless you’re one of the richly funded teams. It makes it less attractive to buy a Premier League team and bang your head against the wall,” he continued.
“The top four clubs are not for sale, so you can only look at the next 16 and the next 16 will have an advantage if they have that financial backing where they spend the most.”
