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State-backed Chinese group want to buy Liverpool for £700m

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King Binny

Part of the Furniture
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[article]An investment group supported by the Chinese state government is attempting to purchase Liverpool for £700million, The Independent can reveal.

It has emerged that Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group have been aware of the proposal from SinoFortone since March.

SinoFortone, who are fronted by managing director Peter Zhang, has committed £5.2billion towards new projects in the UK over the last 12 months.


They have already explored the potential of building a new stadium in the dockland area of Liverpool, appreciating that Anfield’s new main stand will be completed in September.

Their plans also involve the redevelopment of the club’s training ground at Melwood and the installation of a series of football academies across China.

It is believed that Fenway, who are led by John W. Henry, are reluctant to sell Liverpool at this moment and have been unreceptive to the approach.

While the Premier League’s new television rights deal potentially increases the value of all English top flight clubs to unprecedented levels, there is a confidence within FSG that Jürgen Klopp will lead Liverpool into a new era of sporting prosperity, an era, indeed, the current owners would like to be around for.

SinoFortone are also thought to be open to the idea of part-investment in Liverpool, offering FSG a medium to long-term exit strategy. This might appeal more to key yet ageing figureheads like Henry and chairman Tom Werner, who will both turn 67 at their next birthdays.

The bidder specialises in large-scale infrastructure projects, building roads, railways, airports, seaports and power stations across China and the Middle East.

In March SinoFortone agreed a green energy and affordable housing scheme investment with the Scottish government. SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon signed off the contract, which might eventually be worth £10bn. She was later accused by opposition parties of misleading Scots over the secrecy around the agreement, which also involved the China Railway Group.

Last year, during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Britain, SinoFortone committed £2bn towards two eco-parks in north and south west Wales, which will see two biomass power stations built in Anglesey and Port Talbot.

SinoFortone has earmarked a substantial sum towards the London Paramount Entertainment Resort, which is due to open in Dartford, Kent, in 2021. It is also involved in the proposed Crossrail 2 rail line running through London into Hertfordshire as well as the building of new metro systems in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.

Liverpool is thought to be an attractive proposition to SinoFortone, not least because of the club’s history and reasonable current standing, but also because the city is home to Europe’s oldest Chinese community.

In April, work on the £200m New Chinatown project began less than a mile away from Liverpool’s city centre. The development will include 850 new houses, 150,000 square feet of commercial and retail space, and a new hotel.

Though SinoFortone are not behind this project, its plans were presented to President Xi’s delegation during his visit to Manchester last October.[/article]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...o-buy-club-from-fenway-for-700m-a7083836.html
 
That Graeme lad Lippy said had decent contacts at the club reckons there is another group that are in the "lead" to purchase the club.
Could be an interesting summer.
 
Just the mention of the possibility of a new stadium at the docklands is going to create a massive blue fume.
 
We hear this crap every year. Not happening.
FSG are getting PHAT pay from us.
 
IMO FSG showed when they decided not to build a new stadium that they will not be our long term owners. They will sell if someone offer them enough money.
 
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He never got over the "China buys Liverpool" stuff did he?
Probably decent for all that I know but comes across an angry bellend on Twitter.
So do loads of other people mind.
 
IMO FSG showed when they decided not to build a new stadium that they will not be our long term owners. They will sell if someone offer them enough money.
FSG decided to not build a new stadium for the Red Sox as well. The swines are all about the short term-ism.
 
He never got over the "China buys Liverpool" stuff did he?
Probably decent for all that I know but comes across an angry bellend on Twitter.
So do loads of other people mind.

He has been for years. His access was reduced when Rafa was in charge and ever since then he's suffered from Lawrenson Syndrome, flaunting his Liverpool connection on the one hand while being as critical as possible of the club on the other.
 
FSG decided to not build a new stadium for the Red Sox as well. The swines are all about the short term-ism.

You don't need to invest as much money in MLB every year as you need to do in football if you want to compete at the top every year. The salary cap also means that you don't need big investments every year in the MLB.

The question is if FSG are prepared to spend £100m+ net every season on new players? They will most probably need to spend £150m+ every season if they want us to fight for both the CL and PL title. I doubt that they are prepared to do that.
 
That letter says they want to build a stadium at the dock, & redevelop Anfield & Melwood.

I reckon they want to build a new stadium then rent to the blueshite just so we can chant "We own your ground" at them.

Other than that I can't think of any reason why they'd want to do both.
 
"Redevelop" could mean "build houses (or whatever) on" though.
True. I'd be tempted to hang on to it, using it as a tourist trap, & then when Everton beg the council for cash or similar just say they can rent Anfield cheaply, knowing they can't accept & the mere existence of the offer would stop them getting a hand out.
 
You don't need to invest as much money in MLB every year as you need to do in football if you want to compete at the top every year. The salary cap also means that you don't need big investments every year in the MLB.

The question is if FSG are prepared to spend £100m+ net every season on new players? They will most probably need to spend £150m+ every season if they want us to fight for both the CL and PL title. I doubt that they are prepared to do that.

You're overlooking how much more expensive MLB players are to sign, and the guaranteed nature of the contracts.

The pool of players available is also very limited in comparison.
 
You don't need to invest as much money in MLB every year as you need to do in football if you want to compete at the top every year. The salary cap also means that you don't need big investments every year in the MLB.

The question is if FSG are prepared to spend £100m+ net every season on new players? They will most probably need to spend £150m+ every season if they want us to fight for both the CL and PL title. I doubt that they are prepared to do that.
I reckon they should be spending £200m+ to win the World Club Cup, mind you this may not be enough so they should spend £250m+ net on players each season. Some will argue it should be £300m+ but I think that's ridiculous.
 
Tony Evans wrote somewhere that there was a bid back in February. The timing of this is suspicious.

Also, what happened to the naming rights for our new main stand and training kit sponsors (meant to be the same)? Been quiet in that front since it was reported that we were in for a new deal after the Garuda sponsorship expires.
 
A 3.2 BILLION pound theme park in London? That's an extraordinary amount of cash, that would be insane.
It cost Shanghai/Disney £3.6billion (probably higher than that with the delays in opening etc.) to build the new Disneyland just opened here in Shanghai. Considering the cost of London land/labour etc. that figure may well be conservative.
 
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