Bid boost for Reds

The proposed takeover of Liverpool could be granted approval as early as Friday, say the Premier League.

League chiefs have been kept informed of any progress in the bid process, with the owners of the Boston Red Sox baseball team keen to seize control at Anfield.

A £300million offer has been table by New England Sports Ventures (NESV), a company principally owned by John W Henry.

That bid has been accepted by the Liverpool board despite strong opposition from current owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, who remain reluctant to sell for a figure below their asking price.

A Singapore-based consortium have also expressed an interest in acquiring the Premier League club, but the American offer is deemed to be the more likely to succeed.

Liverpool have informed the authorities that they may be the subject of a takeover and the Premier League have revealed that they would be prepared to give the deal the go-ahead.
Developments

The league said in a statement: “The board of the Premier League has been kept fully informed of developments regarding the potential sale of Liverpool FC by the chairman and senior executives of the club and has, accordingly, been made aware of a number of potential prospective owners in recent weeks.

“We can confirm that Liverpool FC has formally notified the Premier League of an intended change of control and that the board has undertaken to complete all the necessary processes by Friday, October 8 so that the sale of the club can proceed.”

Hicks and Gillett could yet hinder proceedings by blocking the takeover and forcing their holding company, which owes the Royal Bank of Scotland some £280million, into administration.

This could result in Liverpool facing a points penalty, although this is considered to be unlikely as Premier League rules stipulate that no penalty will be imposed if the club itself is fully solvent – which Liverpool are.

NESV will have to give the Premier League 10 days notice of a takeover, should they proceed with their efforts to buy Liverpool, and will have to prove that they have the funds to sustain the club.