Prince of Saudi Arabia in fresh Liverpool FC takeover talks

[the count]

by Mark Lawless. Published Tue 22 Dec 2009 10:51, Last updated: 2009-12-22

The Prince of Saudi Arabia has revealed that he will be attending Liverpool's Boxing Day clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, as he bids to acquire a 50% stake in the club.

Prince Faisal bin Fahad bin Abdullah revealed on Saudi television that he will be attending the Reds' early-evening clash at Anfield on Saturday as a guest of current owner George Gillett.

Prince Faisal attended Liverpool's win over Hull City in September with Gillett to rubber-stamp a deal to build club-accredited academies in the Middle East.

However reports in Saudi Arabia suggest that he is now planning to broker a deal with the American for the sale of his Anfield shares.

Despite pocketing $300 million (£1.87m) from his sale of Canadian ice hockey franchise, the Montreal Canadiens, Gillett has been reportedly looking for a swift exit from Liverpool with bin Abdullah's sports investment group F6 expected to offer him a lifeline out of his Anfield nightmare.

Both he and business partner Tom Hicks have incurred the wrath of supporters after saddling the Reds with hundreds of millions of debt and reportedly ordering manager Rafael Benitez to salvage the Premier League outfit's season on a reduced tranfer budget as they try to make repayments on the club's loans.

More to follow.

http://www.clickliverpool.com/sport/liverpool-fc/127319-exclusive-prince-of-saudi-arabia-in-fresh-liverpool-fc-takeover-talks.html

 

[ZhaoYun]

Great ! First the two owners out first, then follow by the manager..bright future ahead ! 🙂

 

[SaintGeorge67]

About time. We've not had one of these stories for at least a fortnight.

 

[Judge Jules]

Haha.

It IS striking though that neither Hicks nor Gillett has cut their losses and run. That does suggest they still see LFC as a good investment for the future. If they do, so might others.

 

[Frogfish]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=38072.msg1019606#msg1019606 date=1261491273]
Haha.

It IS striking though that neither Hicks nor Gillett has cut their losses and run. That does suggest they still see LFC as a good investment for the future. If they do, so might others.
[/quote]

I'm sure the world's economic woes have had more than a little to do with that. They want their big pay day not just get their money back.

 

[Judge Jules]

Wouldn't dispute that at all. My point is that they see LFC as a good vehicle through which to achieve their aim, whereas they've divested themselves of other things which they could have kept instead.

 

[Jürgen4PM]

I just hope and pray that one of the 100 or so potential investors that have been linked with us over the last year or so, actually sign up soon and pump in some much needed funds.

 

[LadyRed]

Flipping hurry up already. Bloody Saudi's throw crazy money at everything, a bit of that would be very helpful right about now

 

[Frogfish]

[quote author=LadyRed link=topic=38072.msg1019646#msg1019646 date=1261494104]
Flipping hurry up already. Bloody Saudi's throw crazy money at everything, a bit of that would be very helpful right about now
[/quote]

I hear Ghana have come into big oil money too. Yoo Hoooo !!

 

[peekay]

Wasnt this guy linked to us a couple of months ago. Have we run out of rich middle eastern princes and so the press has started to recycle the old ones.

 

[Y1]

[quote author=Frogfish link=topic=38072.msg1019647#msg1019647 date=1261494179]
[quote author=LadyRed link=topic=38072.msg1019646#msg1019646 date=1261494104]
Flipping hurry up already. Bloody Saudi's throw crazy money at everything, a bit of that would be very helpful right about now
[/quote]

I hear Ghana have come into big oil money too. Yoo Hoooo !!
[/quote]

Have you not heard? Yet.

 

[Frogfish]

[quote author=peekay link=topic=38072.msg1019650#msg1019650 date=1261494938]
Wasnt this guy linked to us a couple of months ago. Have we run out of rich middle eastern princes and so the press has started to recycle the old ones.
[/quote]

Kiss me quick Hardy !

 

[Y1]

I think they have looked in despair as every other Sheiks are shaken by the crisis. Clutching at every available straws....

Sheik it once more!

Maybe they need to cast their net to include some tin pot dictator with loads of silly moolah to burn

 

[vantage]

[quote author=Frogfish link=topic=38072.msg1019612#msg1019612 date=1261491784]
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=38072.msg1019606#msg1019606 date=1261491273]
Haha.

It IS striking though that neither Hicks nor Gillett has cut their losses and run. That does suggest they still see LFC as a good investment for the future. If they do, so might others.
[/quote]

I'm sure the world's economic woes have had more than a little to do with that. They want their big pay day not just get their money back.
[/quote]

What money would that be then Froggy? They've put feck all in personally.......

 

[Wizardry]

[quote author=vantage link=topic=38072.msg1019695#msg1019695 date=1261503914]
[quote author=Frogfish link=topic=38072.msg1019612#msg1019612 date=1261491784]
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=38072.msg1019606#msg1019606 date=1261491273]
Haha.

It IS striking though that neither Hicks nor Gillett has cut their losses and run. That does suggest they still see LFC as a good investment for the future. If they do, so might others.
[/quote]

I'm sure the world's economic woes have had more than a little to do with that. They want their big pay day not just get their money back.
[/quote]

What money would that be then Froggy? They've put feck all in personally.......
[/quote]

That's not true - they've put in millions since they weren't able to get the institutional loans without putting in cash themselves. Now they've both sold significant assets to ensure they can continue making payments and sign up the loans required to finance Liverpool.

 

[Molbystwin]

[quote author=Wizardry link=topic=38072.msg1019979#msg1019979 date=1261534807]
[quote author=vantage link=topic=38072.msg1019695#msg1019695 date=1261503914]
[quote author=Frogfish link=topic=38072.msg1019612#msg1019612 date=1261491784]
[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=38072.msg1019606#msg1019606 date=1261491273]
Haha.

It IS striking though that neither Hicks nor Gillett has cut their losses and run. That does suggest they still see LFC as a good investment for the future. If they do, so might others.
[/quote]

I'm sure the world's economic woes have had more than a little to do with that. They want their big pay day not just get their money back.
[/quote]

What money would that be then Froggy? They've put feck all in personally.......
[/quote]

That's not true - they've put in millions since they weren't able to get the institutional loans without putting in cash themselves. Now they've both sold significant assets to ensure they can continue making payments and sign up the loans required to finance Liverpool.
[/quote]

Cut it any way you like they are a fucking disaster for us, an expensive guilty thieving disaster. We do not have a fucking clue what theyve done with the capital realised from their recent divestments in the US. We needed player investment in summer and we need it now.

 

[Avmenon]

True, but I have a suspicion that they'd be afraid we'd get another Keane and an Aquilani.

 

[KingDing]

Saudi prince plans to buy George Gillett's stake in Liverpool

Troubled Liverpool face a Christmas of uncertainty with fresh claims that a Saudi prince is ready to buy the 50 per cent stake of co-owner George Gillett.
Prince Faisal bin Fahad bin Abdullah announced on television that he was flying to England to attend the Barclays Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on Boxing Day as a guest of Gillett.
Sources in Saudi Arabia immediately insisted that the wealthy prince was serious in his intent to acquire the holding and that Gillett was now ready to sell. They also understood that Gillett’s partner Tom Hicks would no longer block the sale.

This will be the second visit this season to Anfield of Prince Faisal, who watched the 6-1 hammering of Hull City in September.
Christian Purslow, who was appointed managing director by Gillett and Hicks earlier this year, has been leading talks with a number of parties about a share issue.
There has been particular interest from the Far East and there remains hope that a deal to raise at least £120m could be concluded in the new year.
/quote]

 

[Squiggles]

I shouldn't get my my hopes up, but there's so very little in the way of positive news at the moment, I'll cling onto this for now.

 

[Rosco]

That article is a bit all over the place, it starts by saying Gillett is selling his shares but later on says Purslow is exploring a share issue.

 

[Atlas]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=38072.msg1020211#msg1020211 date=1261584395]
That article is a bit all over the place, it starts by saying Gillett is selling his shares but later on says Purslow is exploring a share issue.
[/quote]

Someone ban this guy!

Dear Santa Prince
Villa
Ribery
Aguero
Err ummm
Alonso



We have all been *very* good..thanks

 

[Peatcheo]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=38072.msg1020209#msg1020209 date=1261584305]
I shouldn't get my my hopes up, but there's so very little in the way of positive news at the moment, I'll cling onto this for now.
[/quote]

Im firmly grasping with you!

 

[Rashid]

Lookslike we are running out of skint Arabs.

 

[darkstarexodus]

Maybe we'll find a wealthy one now.

*drinks more of the juice*

 

[Jack D Rips]

I think the club have denied these rumours of a sale