Liverpool in $853m takeover bid

[Rocky10]

Liverpool in $853m takeover bid

DUBAI Investment Capital (DIC) have made bid for Liverpool, the newspaper Liverpool Echo has reported.

The £400 million ($A853 million) offer would give the English Premier League club's American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett a profit of £25 million ($A53.3 million) pounds each, the newspaper said.

However, DIC spokeswoman Jehad Saleh denied reports the duo had been given a deadline of Wednesday (EDT) to accept the offer.

"No figures have been (publicly) mentioned, and talks are ongoing,'' she said.

"No timeline has been set on the talks.''

DIC, the investment of the UAE's ruling royal Maktoum family, was originally in competition with Gillett and Hicks to buy the club from former owner David Moores before withdrawing in favour of the American duo in January last year.

But their interest in taking over Liverpool does not appear to have waned and this latest offer comes amidst reports that Gillett is keen to sell.

However, only last week Hicks made it clear he would be retaining his stake and indicated he might try to buy Gillett out. However, on Tuesday Hicks said reports he was trying to assume overall control were "premature''.

"It's no secret that we have been in discussions with the current owners,'' DIC chief executive Sameer al-Ansari, a Liverpool fan, said.

"It's not easy because the owners are in dreamland about valuations at the moment,'' he added.

Al-Ansari subsequently added that one of the club's owners "had come out of dreamland'', without saying who that person was.

As things stand at the moment, neither Hicks nor Gillett can sell without the other's consent.

And with DIC thought to want a controlling stake at Anfield, they would also need to buy some of Hicks's holding as well as buying all of Gillett's 50 per-cent share in the club.

In January, the American duo announced a refinancing package which landed Liverpool with £105 million ($A224 million) of debt.

Takeover speculation is being fuelled by the fact the refinancing deal lasts for 18 months which means the club will soon have to start re-negotiating their debt.

Liverpool also seem set to go back to the banks for an additional £300 million ($A640 million) loan to help pay for a new stadium in Stanley Park, near Anfield.

Liverpool crashed out of the FA Cup to second-tier side Barnsley and are 15 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.

But they still have a chance of winning this season's lucrative European Champions League after a 2-0 first-leg win at home to Italian giants Inter Milan left them well-placed to reach the quarter-finals.

[LeBron]

Hicks plots total control of Reds

Gillett (left) and Hicks have become unpopular among Liverpool fans
Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks is unwilling to sell his share in the club to Dubai International Capital and aims to buy out partner George Gillett.
DIC has tabled a formal £400m bid to take control from the American duo.

BBC sports editor Mihir Bose told BBC 5 Live: "Hicks has been willing to have DIC as a minority stakeholder. He's not willing to sell a controlling interest.

"Tom Hicks is working on a plan where he would buy out his partner George Gillett, who is minded to sell to DIC."

I suspect it will be another couple of months at least before it is resolved

BBC sports editor Mihir Bose

Hicks has not formally rejected the offer from DIC, the Government-run Dubai investment fund, but is still unwilling to sell out.

DIC has insisted there is no deadline on its bid to buy out the Americans, who took control of the club in a deal worth £218.9m in February 2007.

Bose explained: "Gillett and Hicks have an informal understanding that one won't sell without the other and DIC has never been interested in being a minority stakeholder, and would not be interested in getting into bed with Hicks with a 50-50 partnership."

He added: "There is a bit more to go but some conclusion will be reached - either Hicks will raise the money to buy out Gillett and take total control, or there will be a sale of the club. I suspect it will be another couple of months at least before it is resolved."

DIC confirmed on Tuesday it had been in talks with American duo Hicks and Gillett about purchasing a stake in the Anfield club.

"It's no secret that we have been in discussions with the current owners," said DIC chief executive Sameer al-Ansari.

"It's not easy because (they) are in dreamland about valuations."

Al-Ansari later clarified that one of the club's owners "had come out of dreamland", without giving further details.

Bose said: "The fact that DIC has gone so public on this means they know that the offer is not being accepted and they are trying to use fan pressure, like the Americans did last year."

Texan billionaire Hicks said in February he was not planning to sell a stake in Liverpool, denying media speculation he was in talks with DIC over a sale.

He also revealed that Gillett could not sell his stake in the Premier League club without his approval.

However, both Hicks and Gillett have become increasingly unpopular among Reds fans, drawing criticism for their treatment of manager Rafael Benitez and their financial management of the club.

That has given fresh hope to DIC, which was considering buying Liverpool before the Americans joined forces to complete their own takeover in February 2007.

Hicks said in January he had talked to DIC "once" about a 10-15% stake, but DIC said the valuation was too high.

DIC is thought to want a controlling stake at Anfield, meaning it would need to convince Hicks to relinquish part of his 50% of the club as well as buying out Gillett.

Another obstacle is the refinancing package announced on 25 January that has loaded £105m of debt on to the club.

Of that, £60m is earmarked to kick-start the new stadium development at Stanley Park plus £45m for future player transfers and to meet the club's working capital needs.

DIC, which manages about £6.5bn of assets, is owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.

Al-Ansari was the man behind the takeover bid a year ago and looked to have succeeded until then Liverpool owner David Moores suddenly opted to sell to the Americans.

"It took me two weeks to get over that," said al-Ansari, who is a Liverpool fan. "But it didn't dent my passion - I still go to every match when I'm here."

[LeBron]

Liverpool owners reject £400m DIC takeover


Liverpool co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have rejected Dubai International Capital's £400million bid for the Premier League club.


The offer, which would represent a £25million profit for each of the American tycoons, was immediately turned down, an associate involved with the negotiations revealed. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.


The source also suggests that Hicks had not formally rejected the offer but has made it very clear that he is unwilling to sell his share in the club.

Hicks is committed to retaining his 50 percent share in Liverpool while Gillett is reportedly willing to sell. Hicks has said he can block Gillett from selling his stake.

Although no formal statement is expected from Hicks, his stance remains the same as last month, when he said: 'Reports that I am about to sell my stake in the Liverpool Football Club, or to invite DIC to examine the club's books in preparation for such a sale - like other such reports planted in the UK press in recent weeks by parties with their own self-interested agenda - are absolutely and categorically false.

'The reality is that I am personally, professionally and financially committed to the club and its supporters and I will continue to honour that commitment to the best of my ability now and in the future.'

The American duo bought the club last year for approximately £218m - beating a rival bid from the Dubai consortium.

Hicks also owns the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Stars.

[LeBron]

I am sooooo phucken sick of all this shite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just sell and fark off you yank kunts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[# 9]

whats worse, yanky kunts or iraqi kunts?

[Fenerbahçe]

NO TO MODERN FOOTBALL !!!

[LeBron]

whats worse, yanky kunts or iraqi kunts?

DIC, which manages about £6.5bn of assets, is owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.

Al-Ansari was the man behind the takeover bid a year ago and looked to have succeeded until then Liverpool owner David Moores suddenly opted to sell to the Americans.

"It took me two weeks to get over that," said al-Ansari, who is a Liverpool fan. "But it didn't dent my passion - I still go to every match when I'm here."



By the sounds of thing these guy's have a real passion for the club!!!!!!!

The farrken Yanks kunts are there to make money and that's it!!!

Do you think that the yanks if they were ever over in England would of gone to watch a game prior to them buying the club??.....I don't think so!!!!

[Villa Boy]

With the way inflation is that probably means that they will pretty much only break even if not make a loss on the buy and sale of the club

[LeBron]

Dubai International Capital have made a £400m bid for Liverpool football club.

DIC have given George Gillett and Tom Hicks until midnight to accept their offer or they will walk away from the negotiating table the Liverpool Echo has revealed today.

Gillett is reportedly keen on accepting the offer, which will allow him and Hicks to walk away from the club with £25m profit each. However, Hicks has been the stubborn one and has valued the club at £1bn, causing DIC chief executive and Liverpool fan Sameer Al Ansari to accuse him of "living in dreamland."

Al Ansari says one of the owners "have come out of dreamland" which suggests Gillett is ready to deal.

[Lilly Whites]

really just want this whole saga to end

its sad for liverpool and english football

[totsreds08]

oh will they just fuck off already

[pires7]

seems to me that the owners are a scapegoat for the shitehouse performances of the team. They got you Torres, its not Chelsea so you cant expect them to spend 60million quid in one season.

[Fenerbahçe]

does liverpool need some money?? our president can help out

[# 9]

does liverpool need some money?? our president can help out

your teams needs it more than pool do

[Juventino]

does liverpool need some money?? our president can help out

your teams needs it more than pool do

What about your teams?? All 3 of them. Do they need money?

[# 9]

does liverpool need some money?? our president can help out

your teams needs it more than pool do

What about your teams?? All 3 of them. Do they need money?

arsenal surely dont. CPFC are doing just fine, but could do with lil cash i guess. and A-league has a salary cap to stop them buying certain players and certain amounts of players.

so what does your post actually mean?

[Juventino]

You have such a varied selection to choose from in terms of teams you support, I thought I'd see if any were in financial difficulties.

[# 9]

You have such a varied selection to choose from in terms of teams you support, I thought I'd see if any were in financial difficulties.

well like ive said, arsenal and palace are from the family, and AU is where im from.

[# 9]

although id never know if there were finacial difficulties unless it was a crisis. i wish i had access to view the clubs bank account

[Fenerbahçe]

does liverpool need some money?? our president can help out

your teams needs it more than pool do

good joke

just go and search FENERBAHCE kapito?

we dont need some american owners to be a big club

[Piola]

we dont need some american owners to be a big club

at last someone that understands this. welcome to the forums buddy.

[# 9]

does liverpool need some money?? our president can help out

your teams needs it more than pool do

good joke

just go and search FENERBAHCE kapito?

we dont need some american owners to be a big club

yea just jokin ya lol.

fenerbahce have got millions stashed sumwhere. they just wont ever get the kicks that liverpool do.