deal

The legendary English football club Liverpool may soon change its owner. There are two contenders for ownership of one of the most popular sports brands - Prime Minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra and Liverpool businessman Steve Morgan.
Liverpool has been controlled for more than half a century by the family of the club's current chairman, David Moores, who currently owns 51% of the shares. However, Mr. Moores recently announced that he was ready to part with a significant part of the papers. The step is quite logical, considering that the team needs very serious financial injections in order to finally buy great players and win something significant. And money can only be found by attracting new investors. One of them was found in the person of the Prime Minister of Thailand, billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra. Last Monday, Liverpool chief executive Rick Perry visited Bangkok, where he held negotiations with him, during which a potential investor's proposal was made - $100 million for a 30% stake. What is noteworthy is that hints immediately appeared in the local press that the shares would be paid for not from the pocket of Thaksin Shinawatra himself, but from the treasury. The Thai government, of course, denies everything, but somehow unconvincingly.
As recently as Tuesday morning, the chances that Liverpool's board of directors will approve the deal with Mr. Shinawatra were assessed as almost one hundred percent. However, by evening the situation changed dramatically. Liverpool businessman Steve Morgan intervened in the matter. He currently owns only 5% of the club's shares and has long sought to increase his stake. Mr Morgan sent the board a formal proposal for an investment of £73 million ($128.2 million), giving a week to respond. It is not yet known how large a stake Mr. Morgan wants to get his hands on. But, apparently, no less than the same 30%.
And now it is completely unclear who will ultimately get the club. On the one hand, Steve Morgan offers more money, he is a devoted Liverpool fan and is ready to do everything in his power for the team. He is well known by his fans, whose influence cannot be underestimated. It would seem that Mr. Morgan should be the one to receive the shares. But on the other hand, he has a poor personal relationship with David Moores. He repeatedly and quite harshly criticized the head of the club for his policies, mainly emphasizing that Mr. Moores was using old methods and the team would never win anything with him. And there is no doubt that David Moores is not eager to give the club to his sworn opponent.
AFSATI Kommersant-JUSOYTI

Newspaper "Kommersant" No. 84 dated May 13, 2004, p. 23

Authors:

Afsati Jusoity

Liverpool chooses its owner