Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119848347#Comment_119848347

Absolutely. They hit the jackpot tbh. Success was delivered on not a huge outlay of cash when player sales are factored in.

Imo, FSGs legacy will be the fantastic new stands, and the inspired decision to stay at Anfield.

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119848208#Comment_119848208

Ran on a shoe string was a bit much. What I meant was they reorganised the whole club from team to staff , grounds and ran it as a viable business ,and didn't act the sugar-daddy like Chelsea. They will leave the club in a strong position for new owners.

Osmosis Jones

We couldn't be in a more different position than during the final months of H&G and yet this feels just as potentially terrible. It's a race to the bottom with PL owners.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119847961#Comment_119847961

Not sure you understand what "they obviously don't want to fund the club as a going concern" actually means because that's exactly what they have been doing. When you start pumping money into a club in an unsustainable manner beyond what it is capable of financing from its going concern cashflows that's when you're in oil money territory a la City, Newcastle and PSG.

greendom

Is Daniel Ek an Arsenal fan or might he be interested in purchasing some or all of Liverpool?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119848541#Comment_119848541

As a business owner who has invested in my business over the years to modernise and improve performance, I would very much disagree with what you just typed.

It would not be unusual for owners to invest some of their own capital with a view to increasing the performance, and indeed value of their company. No one expected FSG to invest on the level of the States or Oligarchs. I don’t know how much of their own money they spent to turn a £300m investment into £4bn, but saying that some investment of their own capital would be in some way poor business, is foolish.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119848704#Comment_119848704

"saying that some investment of their own capital would be in some way poor business, is foolish." That's absolutely NOT what I said but crack on 🙄

yourdeadwright

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119848704#Comment_119848704

Iv no idea what level of business you run, so I'm not saying you don't have a great business or high earning one so i do not mean to offended you at all but you would be aware there becomes a level money wise where it is not good business to invest your own money ,

Where talking about a business worth a few billion quid , the have had no need at all to spend there own money so it would be foolish to do so ,

Lets not forget FSG have turned 600million into a 4.5 billion business , This has been a super successful venture for them ,

What they have a achieved as business & what we want as fans (transfers funds) are two completely different things,

This isn't a family run business that the owners are getting there wage from & building there own future on ( not saying yours is) , Its a total different kettle of fish ,

rob316

I'm still astonished at what Chelsea went for and obviously other PL owners are too. Their is a financial crisis on the horizon, its the perfect time to walk off with over x10 your money. FSG bought the club for so little they never needed to take a penny out, my concern is if some investment group buys it for 4bn they will expect a return and is there scope for the team to compete and pay a dividend shareholders? How much bigger can the club get commercially? and is it all in vain when a club down the road are more creative at accounting than Enron.

Someone like Ratcliffe would be ideal, a football man, his company INEOS has assets in the 100bn range and he is personally very wealthy.

rob316

When fans says "FSG wont spend a penny of their own money". Can they actually invest money into the club to spend on transfers without falling foul to FFP (yes I know its dead but for the clubs that adhere to it, its not). Doesn't owner investment have to come in the form of a loan and just adds debt to the clubs balance sheet?

If the holding company sell a portion of the club, that would be club revenue and could be used to spend on players.

yourdeadwright

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119848894#Comment_119848894

Doesn't he own Nice ?

They bought Schmeichel ,Pepe, Ramsey & Barkley recently ,doesn't fill you with confidence does it ,

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119848928#Comment_119848928

Certain aspects of investment are FFP exempt alright - investing in the academy and the stadium/training ground are for sure anyway (which they've availed of).

I don't think that second bit is exactly true though... the holding company that owns the club is made up of shares owned entirely by FSG. So any money earned by the sale of those shares would be income to FSG, rather than to the club.

OwaynOTT

Amazon are going to buy the club and push more prime memberships.

i can see it now, ring of power is the official club streaming show, half time shows with the cast of the boys and get your prime delivered product by the final whistle.

Talisman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119848894#Comment_119848894

Would Ratcliffe put his Man Utd allegiance aside to become the owner of their greatest rival?

Years ago I used to play Championship Manager with the ambition of relegating Man Utd. 😂

Widdensushi

The valuations are nuts, obviously they have some prime assets but profits /losses will never give a return, the whole thing is a house of cards.

Talisman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849036#Comment_119849036

Nice is definitely on an upward swing since INEOS bought the club. Ratcliffe installed Christophe Galtier as managaer and they qualified for the Europa League before PSG came calling for his services. Losing Galtier was far from ideal but he was replaced by Lucien Favre who was the club's previously most successful manager in recent years. They are still putting the structures in place to develop the club similar to the behind the scenes involvement of FSG when they took ownership of Liverpool.

INEOS are building a state of the art athlete performance centre along side the club's new training facilities. The idea is that it will also be used by their F1, cycling and sailing teams.

martyos121

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849097#Comment_119849097

“Alexa, when’s Naby Keita back from injury?”

”Alexa……?”

BorneTobyWilde

At 5 billion the buyers are few, if any.

Could it exchange hands for 8 billion in 5 years, that is the question the buyer will ask. Unless it's bought as a hobby by someone in the middle east.

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849036#Comment_119849036

I mean that's probably the limit of high profile names of what they could buy, they are shopping at a much different market to where Liverpool can.

Pretty good summation, especially the bit about the age profile of the squad.

https://www.liverpool.com/liverpool-fc-news/features/fsg-liverpool-signing-man-city-25462492

SM01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849097#Comment_119849097

Sign Homelander! We need a right cnut in the midfield!

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849458#Comment_119849458

The challenge is to grow commercial revenue but most clubs (bar man city of course) have maximized what they can do. You are buying a brand as much as a football club, its an attractive brand for potential investors of these american private capital funds. Managing an asset like LFC puts your fund right in the spotlight. PL clubs turn very small profits if any, so its all a long term game and risk for these funds.

FSG got an absolute steal, this was back in 2010 shortly after the global financial crisis, the pool of buyers was tiny even for £300m. I remember reading articles about the sale and FSG was the only viable buyer. Even if they hadn't hit the heights we have under Klopp it was always going to be worth multiples of what they paid.

RonanG86

Anyone buying us or going into partnership with FSG or whatever is probably going to look to create a group of football clubs in various markets and at various levels of the game a la Red Bull or City Group, with us at the head of it.

It's literally the only way you can get worthwhile growth buying a club for $5bn. Or even if you've only bought half of us for $2.5bn.

martyos121

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849926#Comment_119849926

At least if Apple bought us we might get 40 year old Roy Kent in midfield to replace Milner.

yourdeadwright

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849473#Comment_119849473

My worry is most of them where free and they went for the high profile names over better quality player , The opposite of what FSG done here

They currently sit 9th in the table

Girly Gal

It'll be extremely difficult for anyone to buy liverpool for 4 or 5 billion and increase the value much or make a profit on it. In comparison Newcastle were sold for around 400 million last year, so have huge scope to increase in value, and are going to be challenging for major honours soon, so will begin to grow globally too. Liverpool are already a huge global brand, hard to see how any new owners can increase their global appeal especially if our performances decline. I think the only people who can afford us is someone who wants us as a plaything like the new owner at Chelsea or from the middle east, in both cases they don't necessarily mind losing money, any investment type consortium similar to FSG themselves probably wouldn't see us a a great investment.

Chelsea had a number of interested buyers, for a lower profile club, smaller fan base (I think), need to develope their stadium etc, yet in a short period it sold for huge money, surely Liverpool would be a more appealing prospect.

I see Jim Radcliffe has ruled out a bid.

giveitholly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119850488#Comment_119850488

If you are worried about Nice then you have little to be worrying about

BorneTobyWilde

VVD spoke of it recently, social media, how it can affect people. Linda was always one to promote Liverpool on her social media, but at some point that ended, as the abuse she got was unreal if we lost a single game. I mean she has a lot of things in the air, lots of other pursuits, work, charity work ect and having the vile comments from so called Liverpool supporters all over her social media was not a good look when so many other parties saw it, it must have taken it's toll to the point she just stopped getting involved, but even so her other posts and tweets that have nothing to do with Liverpool are still bombarded with hate from Liverpool fans.

Who needs that, and never underestimate the influence of a wife on her husband

Agent Coulson

Listening to the Athletic pod today one of their reporters seems to be hinting that it might not be John W who wants to sell Liverpool but other members of FSG who do and want to use the money from the sale of Liverpool to buy an NFL or NBA franchise.

giveitholly

Twitter talk tonight that DIC will meet FSG's valuation of Liverpool

Cartman78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851010#Comment_119851010

That sounds like a real dic move

Damien360

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851010#Comment_119851010

Dubai- Al Maktoum. Probably the only people with the money to buy. We would loose all ability to sneer at City, PSG and Newcastle. It would possibly be better than a Glazer type deal. At least these guys would have money and not just a load of debt pile to pass on.

giveitholly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851043#Comment_119851043

So does Conor McGregor🤣🤣

https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1590082085586620416?t=dr5PWs_d4yxJGk1oqeNhKA&s=19

Cartman78

Jesus....is that pleb a Liverpool fan? 😱

It's been a rough few days for club news

Ottoman_1000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851079#Comment_119851079

He's actually an UTD fan, he was spouting the same s**t about buying UTD when the Glazier protests were going on this year. Lad obviously has a few millions to his name to be fair, but he is probably 4000 odd million off been involved in this transaction!!

DIC?

This all feels very familiar

Agent Coulson

That would be me done if one of those Nation States bought the club.

I just couldn’t support that kind of regime owning the club

martyos121

Why can’t a nice, fun country buy us?

Like Australia.

Nice big Koala on the jersey and sponsored by Vegemite because half the planet hates us.

machiavellianme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851143#Comment_119851143

Snap. I'd just go back to supporting Fiorentina seeing as Shakhtar aren't up to much these days for other terrible reasons.

Ottoman_1000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851143#Comment_119851143

I'd be of very similar feelings, although it will be hard explaining my lack of enthusiasm to my Liverpool mad 7 and 9 year olds!!!

TitianGerm

https://www.reddit.com/r/LiverpoolFC/comments/yq00s8/adel_on_twitter_lfc_done_telecom_lfc_liverpool/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=2&utm_content=share_button

This is getting some traction on Reddit and Twitter now.

He seems to be a Qatari journalist and is followed by LFC and SOS.

Qatar probably going to use the club alongside the World Cup to sportswash their image. I'd actually be disgusted with the club and FSG if they sell to them.

I definitely don't want them as owners. Or anyone like them.

But stop supporting and/or stop going to games? That's veering into drama queen territory imo.

martyos121

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851258#Comment_119851258

Have to draw a line somewhere, but that’s just me. I wouldn’t lose an ounce of respect for anyone that continues to support the club however.

fyfe79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851058#Comment_119851058

Christ. Imagine the scenario that another middle eastern oil sheik possibly buys Liverpool but runs it like the Glazers!?? The bantz would be off the charts! 😄

In any event, if a crowd like that was to take over, that would be the end of my interest in football really. Football doesn't need to have an omnipresent existence in our lives - as things change we need to continually update our world view. If Liverpool became just another sportswash, then I'd choose to let it go...

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851258#Comment_119851258

How is it veering into drama queen territory?

Having the club you've loved all your life be owned by a petro state which does not allow people their freedoms and carries out atrocities, use that club to cleanse their appearance is disgraceful and something I can't abide. Morally it's not right.

By continuing to go to games, watch via sky, purchasing club merchandise etc you are accepting the owners and as such helping in their sportswashing agenda.

WealthyB

I am bemused reading posts from people saying they're done if the club is sold to a sugar daddy owner or Arab State.

I ask, without provocation - what do you guys actually want out of the club - do you want LFC competing for honours each and every year, or is some feeling of moral superiority more important, where "This Means More" moves from being a phrase brainstormed in a meeting room of advertising execs to become the ethos of the club?

Do you just dismiss history? Shankly didn't built his team on a shoestring, Bob Paisley similarly; Liverpool spent record sums on players for nigh on 25 years whilst at the top, building dynasties and teams still talked about with reverence today, the same glorious history the club trades on so much today - yes the club did things organically with the Boot Room, but none of it was possible without spending vast amounts of money when at the top.

Arab money is no dirtier than hedge fund money. The romantic game as you remember it, I dare say it never existed in the first place; money always talked. Its just more money these days.

The Holy Trinity will still exist - players, manager and fans. There'll just be another set of Directors there to sign the cheques.

And I wager you guys will still support Liverpool as much as you did before.

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119851258#Comment_119851258

It would be just one step too far for me. I can get over the money in the game as it's primarily going to players albeit obscene.

I love that fsg and klopp did it all the right way and won it all in spite of a bottomless state owned man city.

A league where the Arab states battle it out to clean the image of there horrendous human rights abuses just doesn't interest me.

I really hope an Arab state doesn't buy LFC but they are probably the only buyers that have the money unfortunately.

Charlie19

The majority of Liverpool supporters probably don't want any takeover from the middle east but when the dust settles, I'd imagine we'll still be on here talking about the club, maybe a few new usernames though.

BorneTobyWilde

One minute we're all crying why oh why won't FSG spend some dame money, the next minute we're all crying no no no, don't sell to an oil rich state who'll buy Mbappe