Forbes values Liverpool at $4.45 billion, about ten times what F.S.G. paid.
The Boston-based group has also invested in the team’s infrastructure, revamping its historic Anfield stadium with two new stands and also built a new practice facility.
But there has been growing concern privately among the ownership about whether the team can continue competing at the top of the league and in European competition against teams owned by Gulf states. Manchester City, which has been the dominant English team for much of the past decade, is owned by the brother of the ruler of the United Arab Emirates, and recently Newcastle was purchased by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. While Qatar has powered Paris St.-Germain’s rise to superiority in France.
City’s spending has been particularly hard to match, with Liverpool among a group of Premier League clubs frustrated at the pace of an ongoing investigation into allegations City breached the league’s financial rules to fuel its success.
Should a sale go through, Liverpool would yield an enormous profit for F.S.G., which has invested relatively little into the club compared to its biggest Premier League rivals in the decade it has owned the team. Sound management, smart appointments and success in the often fickle player trading market have instead allowed the team to compete atop English and European soccer.
Since hiring Klopp, the team has managed to compete with City by improving its roster largely through money raised by selling other players, a process that has not been universally popular, with some fans believing the ownership’s prudence has stunted prospects for sustained success.
The success has also been marked by moments of missteps, including an effort to raise ticket prices that was reversed following a fan revolt. But the biggest backlash came in 2021 when Liverpool joined 11 other top clubs in attempting to breakaway and create a new European Super League. Liverpool and American-owned Manchester United, Liverpool’s main domestic rival when it comes to global popularity, were at the forefront of those talks.
“I want to apologize to all the fans and supporters of Liverpool Football Club for the disruption I caused over the past 48 hours,” Henry said at the time, making a rare public statement. “It goes without saying but should be said that the project put forward was never going to stand without the support of the fans. No one ever thought differently in England.”
Those same fans now face new uncertainty.
Michael J. de la Merced contributed reporting.
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