Liverpool football club said yesterday it was in talks with a number of potential investors, although no announcement was imminent.
The club said that chairman David Moores could sell his majority stake in the 2005 European champions.
Liverpool have been seeking an injection of funds over the past two years to reclaim their place at the top of English soccer and fund a new £170 million (€245 million) stadium.
The 18-times English champions last won the league title in 1990 and have lived in the shadows of Manchester United, Arsenal and, more recently, Chelsea, who have benefitted enormously from a takeover by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
"There is no imminent investment about to take place. We are still talking to various groups," the club source said.
Spanish businessman Juan Villalonga is the latest name to be linked with the club.
Without revealing any details of potential investors, a statement from Liverpool confirmed that Mr Moores would consider selling some, or all, of his controlling 51.5 per cent stake.
"Although the structure of any such investment is uncertain, it may include an offer for the entire share capital of the club. Shareholders will be kept updated as appropriate," the statement read.
The Liverpool board expected a share valuation of around £200 million, a source close to the situation said yesterday.
In the 2005 financial year, turnover rose 32 per cent to £121 million after Liverpool's success in the Champions League and a £21.9 million loss was turned into a £9.5 million pretax profit.
A spokesman for the club's advisers PricewaterhouseCoopers said Mr Moores would consider selling his stake in return for the right level of additional investment.
"First and foremost the board wants new investment into the club. If that means the chairman selling some of his stake he would consider it," the spokesman said.
"I don't think he would sell his entire stake - it would depend on the amount of new money, the [ share] price and [ ownership] structure, and who the parties were."
