LIVERPOOL HAVE received what they consider the first serious offer to buy into the club after it was revealed that they are ready to open talks with the Rhone Group, a firm of multi-million pound fund managers.
The group, which is based in New York and has offices in both London and Paris, is proposing to invest €120 million directly in Liverpool, which would settle a little under half of the club’s debt. Rhone would be issued new shares in the club in return, diluting the current 50 per cent stakes of Liverpool’s co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
The size of the equity stake which Rhone would be issued will become a matter for negotiation. It is believed the starting point for those talks will be for the co-owners’ stakes to be reduced to 30 per cent each, with Rhone taking the remaining 40 per cent.
The offer was received by Liverpool on Saturday and the matter has yet to be discussed at board level, though early indications are that the directors will consider it a sound first proposal.
Liverpool’s board, and the co-owners, will hope Rhone’s bid encourages other viable bidders to come through with firm proposals.
Rhone’s proposal would also improve the club’s credit-worthiness which could, in turn, lead to finance being secured to finally begin work on the long-awaited new stadium in Stanley Park.
Fresh investment would be welcomed by manager Rafael Benitez, who fears Fernando Torres will seek to leave Anfield should Liverpool fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
“Finishing fourth in the Premier League would mean a lot to Fernando,” said the Liverpool manager ahead of his side’s suddenly all-important home game against Portsmouth tonight.
“People talk about money with Fernando but I can tell you his main motivation is winning trophies. That is what drives him. That is always the main topic in any discussion between us. Fernando’s only thought is to be challenging for honours, it’s all that concerns him.
“He wants to be playing in the Champions League.”
Benitez's apprehension regarding Torres's future can have been only heightened by a weekend interview the Spain striker gave to his country's ASnewspaper. Torres said Liverpool would continue to "go backwards" unless "four or five top-class players" arrived at Anfield.
In the absence of such investment the centre forward admitted he might have to consider his future and, dropping a hint which will have been music to the ears of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, Torres indicated another Premier League club would be his preferred destination.
“I don’t plan on going back to La Liga for a while,” he said.
Guardian Service
