Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is reportedly part of an investor consortium closing in on a deal to acquire a significant minority stake in Liverpool, with the transaction potentially set to be announced within days. The consortium, led by British-Indian businessman Amit Bhatia, is expected to acquire more than 30 per cent of the Premier League champions from owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG). Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin is also understood to be part of the investor group.
According to Sky News, which first reported the latest development, FSG is preparing for a possible announcement as early as this week, although the completion of the transaction could slip into next week. The proposed investment is expected to value Liverpool at around $6 billion, representing a remarkable increase from the £300 million FSG paid to acquire the club in 2010.
Talks between Bhatia's consortium and FSG first emerged last month, when the group was seeking a substantial minority holding in Liverpool. At that stage, the proposed investment was believed to involve approximately 30 per cent of the club.
The negotiations have since advanced, with the size of the stake now expected to be slightly larger than originally envisaged.
Bezos, Saverin join Bhatia-led group
Bhatia, the son-in-law of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, has previously been involved in English football through Queens Park Rangers. He recently agreed to transfer his shareholding in QPR to majority owner Ruben Gnanalingam as the Liverpool investment discussions progressed. Bezos's involvement represents another attempt by one of the world's wealthiest businessmen to enter major sports ownership. The Amazon founder has previously been linked with prospective bids for NFL franchises, including the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks, but did not complete either acquisition.
{{/usCountry}}Bhatia, the son-in-law of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, has previously been involved in English football through Queens Park Rangers. He recently agreed to transfer his shareholding in QPR to majority owner Ruben Gnanalingam as the Liverpool investment discussions progressed. Bezos's involvement represents another attempt by one of the world's wealthiest businessmen to enter major sports ownership. The Amazon founder has previously been linked with prospective bids for NFL franchises, including the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks, but did not complete either acquisition.
{{/usCountry}}Saverin, meanwhile, has previously explored investment in English football. The Facebook co-founder was part of a consortium involved in the bidding process for Chelsea when the London club was sold in 2022. FSG had already confirmed last month that a consortium led and represented by Bhatia had approached it over what it described as a strategic minority investment in Liverpool. At the time, however, there was no certainty that negotiations would result in an agreement. The latest development suggests those discussions have moved considerably closer to completion.
An investment exceeding 30 per cent would represent one of the most significant changes to Liverpool's ownership structure since FSG took control of the club 16 years ago. The American group has previously brought outside capital into Liverpool. Private equity firm Dynasty Equity acquired a small minority stake in the club in 2023, in a transaction that reportedly valued Liverpool at more than $4.5 billion.
Liverpool's commercial growth and success on the pitch have subsequently continued to push the club's valuation higher. While the prospective Bhatia-Bezos-Saverin investment would give the consortium a sizeable position in Liverpool, there is currently no indication that FSG has agreed to surrender overall control of the club.
The financial strength of the incoming investors is nevertheless likely to fuel speculation over whether the minority investment could eventually develop into a full takeover. For now, the proposed transaction remains structured as a minority acquisition, with the immediate focus on completing an agreement that could bring Bezos into Premier League ownership for the first time.