View Full Version : Liverpool in Talks with Kuwaiti Billionaire
kingfunk
22-01-09, 10:25 PM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/liverpool/4318296/Tom-Hicks-opens-talks-with-Kuwait-family-over-Liverpool-sale.html
Hicks's camp are in tentative talks with representatives of the Al Kharafi family, whose head Nasser is the 48th richest man in the world with an £9 billion fortune.
Nasser Al Kharafi was linked with a move for Newcastle last year but the key player in the prospective purchase of Liverpool is understood to be his nephew, Rafed Al Kharafi. The family fortune is based on construction and a variety of holdings in the banking, fast-food and tourism sectors.
Liverpool's finance director, Phillip Nash, a close ally of Hicks, travelled to Kuwait this week seeking investment for the club's stalled new ground, but the ultimate goal is thought to be securing the sale of the club, which the Americans value at £600 million.
Hicks's discussions with the Al Kharafis, which are understood to have begun without the knowledge of co-owner George Gillett, mark the second time in a year that the Americans have sought to sell the club to the family.
Last spring Gillett opened talks with the family and at one stage a sale looked probable, but after extensive negotiations the deal broke down in July when the Kuwaitis walked away without explanation.
Hicks's decision to return to the family to try to execute a new deal is understood to have infuriated Gillett and will further deepen the distrust between the two.
Gillett has been under pressure to refinance a £40 million loan secured as a personal guarantee demanded by RBS as a condition of a £350 million refinancing deal the American's negotiated this time last year.
Nash's deployment to Kuwait also indicates the increasingly perilous position of chief executive Rick Parry, who appears to have been frozen out of the deal by Hick's altogether.
If Hicks cannot secure a full sale it has been suggested that he would settle for a majority stake that would leave him with a place on the board and power over the football side of the business.
That is likely to be deeply unpopular with supporters dismayed at the civil war within the club at a time when they should be focusing on winning their first league title in 19 years.
With the club split 50-50 between the two owners however, there can be no resolution to the ownership issue without the agreement of both.
According to well-placed sources there is a new willingness to sell on both sides however. With their £350 million loan due to be renegotiated in July, funding for the new ground uncertain and RBS unlikely to be able to offer favourable terms having been crippled by the financial crisis, there is an imperative to sell or secure fresh investment.
I bet there related to the DIC group some how?
kingfunk
22-01-09, 11:28 PM
Its got to that stage where it doesnt really matter who it is,, who could possibly be worse than what we have???
Leyton388
22-01-09, 11:29 PM
Fuck it as long as those two twats are gone
There's a lot of talk coming out of the middle east investors at the moment but that is all it seems to be. Who really believes the Kaka stories? If they couldn't finance it back then why should they now when they are losing money hand over fist with the rest of the world? All talk.
Danish_Pastry
22-01-09, 11:41 PM
more of the Kuwaities here (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1126801/Kop-sale-Kuwait--U-S-owners-talks-Arab-billionaire.html)
and abt. the richest arabs (http://www.kippreport.com/kipp/2008/12/14/who%E2%80%99s-richest-of-them-all/)
and here (http://www.arabianbusiness.com/power100/profile/559?clr=2)
Kuwaiti billionaires line up £500m bid for Liverpool
Al-Kharafi family in discussions to buy Anfield club from American owners
By Ian Herbert The Independant
Liverpool are engaged in covert talks with one of the wealthiest families in Kuwait, with a view to the sale of the club. The Al-Kharafi family has a collective wealth put at around £8bn, with the most significant member involved in the prospective purchase of Liverpool understood to be Rafed Al-Kharafi, nephew of patriarch Nasser, who was linked with the potential purchase of Newcastle United last year.
Though it had been thought that Liverpool's current American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, who have been seeking a new owner for months now, may have settled on a figure of £350m – the total sum of the club's debt – it is understood that they may secure £500m for a sale from the Kuwaitis.
Two of Hicks' key allies at the club, finance director Philip Nash and commercial director Ian Ayre, have been in Kuwait this week, ostensibly seeking finance for the stalled development of the club's new stadium and though it is as yet unclear whether the two – very much in the Hicks camp – have yet had direct discussions with the Al-Kharafis, the events of the week point to a move towards a sale. One possibly outcome is that that the Al-Kharafis might buy out the 50 per cent share of Hicks' co-owner George Gillett, comfortably the less well off of the two owners and deeply frustrated by the current struggle to settle manager Rafael Benitez's contract issue.
The money the Al-Kharafis could bring – made from the family's construction, engineering and telecommunications businesses – is vitally needed, with Hicks and Gillett having conceded weeks ago that they do not have the capital to progress the new stadium project and Benitez still forced to sell players before he can buy.
The prospects of a sale were looking slim with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, now out of the picture. But there were rumours earlier this week that financier Amanda Staveley, who had brought al-Maktoum back to the negotiating table after their initial bid to buy Liverpool was dismissed in favour of the Americans in 2007, had become actively involved again in a prospective sale.
There are suggestions that Gillett has not been involved in the trip to Kuwait this week – and that he and Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry, an ally, have been kept out of the tentative discussions. But Gillett is the more likely to sell – and the Kuwaitis becoming minority shareholders is a possibility. Though Liverpool's current £350m bank facility was extended for six months earlier this year, there are doubts as to whether it will continue beyond then – with the two banks, Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia, both severely by the global financial crisis.
A £500m deal, to include taking on the club's debt, was all but agreed by one mystery buyer in the autumn but with a deal seemingly minutes away from signing, it went up in smoke for reasons which have never become clear. It now appears that the prospective buyers on that occasion were the Al Kharafis.
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Oliver Kay- The Times
One of the Middle East’s richest families is in negotiations to buy Liverpool as the Arab invasion of the Barclays Premier League continues. It emerged last night that the Al-Kharafi family, of Kuwait, are planning a bid to buy the Merseyside club for £500 million as Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr prepare to sell up.
Hicks and Gillett, the club’s American owners, maintain publicly that they have no plans to sell Liverpool, but they have been actively searching for a buyer for several months, with an asking price of £600 million. Gillett is expected to be the first to depart, but Hicks is also increasingly open to a sale, having authorised Ian Ayre and Phillip Nash, the club’s commercial director and finance director respectively, to hold talks with the Al-Kharafi family this week.
Initially, the talks focused on investment in the club’s proposed new stadium in Stanley Park, but a full-scale takeover is now the subject of serious discussions. It also emerged last night that an Arab tycoon behind the takeover of Manchester City is working with a group of German investors on a possible bid for Chelsea.
The Times revealed in November that a group from Kuwait had expressed interest in buying Liverpool and that an Arab group, having inspected the company’s accounts, had made a firm offer for the club, only to withdraw from the deal without explanation. It has emerged that this was the Al-Kharafi family, whose wealth is estimated at £8 billion. The family subsequently registered an interest in buying Newcastle United but have now their sights set firmly on Liverpool.
The Al-Kharafi family are led by two brothers, Nasser and Jassem, but the planned purchase of Liverpool is likely to be a project overseen by one of their sons. The family made their fortune from a variety of enterprises, including construction, banking, engineering, telecommunications and fast food. Nasser is a highly successful businessman who runs M. A. Kharafi & Sons, which oversees the family’s interests, while Jassem is an influential politician who has served for the past nine years as the speaker in the Kuwait National Assembly.
The family’s plans for Liverpool are not known, but their interest is likely to be encouraged by the club’s supporters, who are hostile to Hicks and Gillett. The pair made heartening noises when they bought the club for £218.9 million in February 2007, but their regime has caused chaos behind the scenes, reflected by the failure to begin building work on a new stadium and by fractious relationships with each other and with Rafael Benítez, whose future as manager is in jeopardy as his contract dispute continues.
Peter Kenyon, the Chelsea chief executive, has been eager to emphasise Roman Abramovich’s long-term commitment to the club, but that has not stopped Dr Sulaiman al-Fahim, who led the Abu Dhabi United Group’s purchase of Manchester City in September, drawing up a takeover proposal with Falcon Equity, a Swiss-based private-equity partnership. It is understood that it has a number of German investors ready to fund any buyout.
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The Guardian
Liverpool's co-owner Tom Hicks has revived the prospect of another takeover at Anfield by opening negotiations with the Kuwait billionaire, Nasser al Kharafi, over a possible sale of the club.
Talks between the American's representatives and Al Kharafi, who is estimated to have a £9bn fortune, were held in the last fortnight as part of Hicks' ongoing attempts to raise the funds to build a new stadium on Stanley Park. It is understood, however, that a deal for Hicks and George Gillett's entire holding has also been discussed.
The American co-owners value Liverpool at around £600m, a figure that prompted the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum, to drop his long-standing interest in the club. Hicks and Gillett were granted a six-month extension to their £350m refinancing deal for Liverpool earlier this month but are under pressure to raise the funds for that repayment to the Royal Bank of Scotland and to find an estimated £400m required to construct the stadium. Gillett also has to refinance a £40m loan secured as a personal guarantee in the refinancing package.
Nasser al Kharafi was initially approached by Gillett when the co-owner was looking to sell his 50% stake in Liverpool last year but a deal could not be agreed. The latest approach came from Hicks and without Gillett's knowledge, however, highlighting the ongoing division within the Anfield hierarchy and raising the prospect of another fraught battle for control of Liverpool at a time when Rafael Benítez's side are in pursuit of their first league title for 19 years.
Al Kharafi, the 48th richest man in the world, has been previously linked with a move for Newcastle United and talks are currently at a preliminary stage. Hicks is known to want to maintain a majority stake in Liverpool and a place on the club's board but, given the current economic climate, may accept an offer for a full sale should the Al Kharafi family meet the Americans' asking price.
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Yahoo- LONDON (AFP) – Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has reportedly started discussions with a wealthy Middle East family over a possible 600 million-pound sale of the English Premiership club, the Daily Telegraph claimed on their website on Thursday.
The preliminary talks are with the Kuwaiti Al Kharafi family, led by Nasser Al Kharafi who is worth nine billion pounds and is the 48th richest man in the world, the site added.
A purchase of Newcastle by the Al Kharafi family last year had also reportedly been a possibility.
Liverpool's 350-million-pound loan is due to be renegotiated in July and sources have claimed both Hicks and co-owner George Gillett, who own Liverpool shares at 50-50 and therefore need to be in agreement to sell the club, both have a new willingness to find the right buyer.
The key negotiater from the Al Kharafi family is believed to be Nasser's nephew, Rafed Al Kharafi.
Construction, plus a number of other activities in banking, catering and tourism, are the basis of the family's wealth, the site continued.
Liverpool's discussions with the Al Kharafis started when Liverpool's finance director, Phillip Nash, a close ally of Hicks, went to Kuwait earlier this week.
Nash had been hoping for help in Liverpool's project for a new ground, yet it is believed a 600 million-pound sale of the club was the main motivation.
The talks with the Al Kharafis is in fact the second time within 12 months that the American owners have tried to sell the five-time European champions to the same family.
The Kuwaitis suddenly ended talks early last year when Gillett had tried to bring about a possible sale and it is thought Hicks's decision to once more attempt a deal on his own initiative annoyed Gillett, creating more distrust between the two men.
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daily hate mail
Al-Kharafi, who studied business administration at the Liverpool College of Commerce, showed great interest in buying the club last autumn but a bid never materialised owing to the £600million price that the American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett were quoting.
This latest venture to find a foreign buyer has been orchestrated by Hicks, whose fragile alliance with Gillett has broken down again. Both owners employ different financial consultants, Merrill Lynch and Rothschild, to represent them.
Hicks, who headhunted Nash from Arsenal, is examining options either to sell his 50 per cent stake or buy out Gillett, but their complicated ownership agreement would not help any initiative.
Hicks is also understood to be putting his Texas Rangers baseball team up for sale, a sign that he wants to concentrate his sporting interests on Liverpool.
al-kharafi
He is certainly the wealthier of the two Americans, with Gillett having had to restructure his personal finances this month. There is an urgency to Hicks' latest sales pitch because Liverpool's current £350m bank facility is unlikely to continue after July with the two banks, Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia, both in serious trouble.
Al-Kharafi is president of the family conglomerate the Al-Kharafi Group, whose varied interests include running fast-food franchises such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Wimpy throughout the Middle East.
Forbes ranked him at No 46 in their 2008 list of the world's richest people. The family made a fortune in engineering and construction before diversifying into an international business empire.
Al-Kharafi was serious enough about buying Liverpool last year to have hired football stockbroker specialists Seymour Pierce, though his camp deny reports that they were also approached by Mike Ashley to buy Newcastle.
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Thanks V.
Nasser Al-Kharafi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Nasser Al-Kharafi (Arabic: ناصر الخرافي) (born 1944) is a Kuwaiti businessman who runs M.A. Kharafi & Sons, $4.3 billion (sales) which has benefited from that nation's robust economy. His net worth rose thanks to rising share prices of several holdings including Mobile Telecommunications Co., National Bank of Kuwait, and Americana, operator of U.S. fast food chains. Avid BBC-viewer. His older brother Jassim is the speaker of Kuwait parliament; his sister Faiza was rector of Kuwait University. He has construction contracts in more than 30 countries worldwide. His networth is $14 billion as of 2008 and is considered the 48th richest man in the world. On October 24th 2008, Shaun Custis of The Sun newspaper reported that Al-Kharafi was in discussions with Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley over a potential sale of the club.
[edit] Liverpool FC
Liverpool FC co-owner Tom Hicks has reportedly started discussions with the Kuwaiti Al Kharafi family over a possible £600 million ($833 million) sale of the English Premiership club. An English newspaper, The Daily Telegraph said on its website that preliminary talks are being held with the Kuwaiti Al Kharafi family. Sources have claimed both Hicks and co-owner George Gillett, who own Liverpool shares at 50-50 and therefore need to be in agreement to sell the club, both have a new willingness to find the right buyer. The key negotiator from the Al Kharafi family is believed to be Nasser's nephew, Rafed Al Kharafi. Liverpool's discussions with the Al Kharafi’s started when Liverpool's finance director, Phillip Nash, a close ally of Hicks, went to Kuwait earlier this week. The talks with the Al Kharafi's are in fact the second time within 12 months that the American owners have tried to sell the five-time European champions to the same family
CincyRed
23-01-09, 04:39 AM
Kaka anyone?:crackoff:
Looking at past developments I can't really find the enthusiasm for this one.
I will be very happy if get the fuckwits out of our club, but I need to see it official before I get excited just a slight bit.
Slinky Skills
23-01-09, 07:56 AM
Yeah me too man. I'm not quite getting big stiffs just yet.
Might as well keep all the speculation regarding this in the one thread :)
Kaka anyone?:crackoff:
I heard the reason he turned Citeh down was because he heard this was on the pipeline :source:
Keep an eye on Messi being left out of the Barca squad for their next couple of games :source:
I wish :sigh:
DannyMan2006
23-01-09, 07:59 AM
Looking at past developments I can't really find the enthusiasm for this one.
I will be very happy if get the fuckwits out of our club, but I need to see it official before I get excited just a slight bit.
Me too...........
Thought I'd be delighted but it seems a long way off. A good season has helped forget about this shite. Had we been 9 points a drift I'm sure I'd be well into this breaking news as every news source is running with it.
Mind, do they have cash to spend or not?
Mind, do they have cash to spend or not?
And not just on players - the stadium issue needs sorting as well. :handshake:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jan/22/liverpool-dubai
Hicks in talks with Kuwait billionaire over Liverpool sale
• Talks proceed after Al Kharafi approached
• American owners under pressure to repay £350m loan
Andy Hunter The Guardian, Friday 23 January 2009
Tom Hicks has revived the prospect of another takeover at Anfield by opening negotiations with the Kuwait billionaire, Nasser al Kharafi, over a possible sale of the club.
Talks between the American's representatives and Al Kharafi, who is estimated to have a £9bn fortune, were held in the last fortnight as part of Hicks' ongoing attempts to raise the funds to build a new stadium on Stanley Park. It is understood, however, that a deal for Hicks and George Gillett's entire holding has also been discussed.
The American co-owners value Liverpool at around £600m, a figure that prompted the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum, to drop his long-standing interest in the club. Hicks and Gillett were granted a six-month extension to their £350m refinancing deal for Liverpool earlier this month but are under pressure to raise the funds for that repayment to the Royal Bank of Scotland and to find an estimated £400m required to construct the stadium. Gillett also has to refinance a £40m loan secured as a personal guarantee in the refinancing package.
Nasser al Kharafi was initially approached by Gillett when the co-owner was looking to sell his 50% stake in Liverpool last year but a deal could not be agreed. The latest approach came from Hicks and without Gillett's knowledge, however, highlighting the ongoing division within the Anfield hierarchy and raising the prospect of another fraught battle for control of Liverpool at a time when Rafael Benítez's side are in pursuit of their first league title for 19 years.
Al Kharafi, the 48th richest man in the world, has been previously linked with a move for Newcastle United and talks are currently at a preliminary stage. Hicks is known to want to maintain a majority stake in Liverpool and a place on the club's board but, given the current economic climate, may accept an offer for a full sale should the Al Kharafi family meet the Americans' asking price.
Might as well keep all the speculation regarding this in the one thread :)
:o
Yeah expect better from you Slim if I'm brutally honest.
:crackoff:
Fuckwits will be replaced by other fuckwits.
nebbers
23-01-09, 08:34 AM
Great :)
Now we can afford Heskey.
Fuckwits will be replaced by other fuckwits.
takes one to know one
could work with arseholes too
:crackoff:
Cormack74
23-01-09, 08:35 AM
I guess there's every likelihood that this is another false dawn, but it's lightened my mood for the day. (At least until I start doing my VAT return).
Yeah expect better from you Slim if I'm brutally honest.
:crackoff:
So did I :sigh:
I've let myself down......now I know how Fredo feels most of the time.
:crackoff:
PC Plod
23-01-09, 08:46 AM
wonder how long this one will drag out?
I wager at least HIcks wants to retain at least a partial ownership.
RoadEnd
23-01-09, 09:00 AM
Whoever buys the club - the MOST important financial consideration is that it is done in cash and not debt.
Secondly, that whoever buys us is not going to treat us like a plaything but a business centred around the history and the values of Liverpool Football Club.
Pablo1981
23-01-09, 09:04 AM
Its hard to get excited about this stuff anymore, this one even seems plausible as every single newspaper is carrying it. Just lost enthusiasm about the whole thing.
Neil Young
23-01-09, 09:05 AM
Fuckwits will be replaced by other fuckwits.
:handshake:
Are you involved then?
PC Plod
23-01-09, 09:07 AM
Very difficult to be excited in any way, shape or form isnt it, aye?
Neil Young
23-01-09, 09:21 AM
Very difficult to be excited in any way, shape or form isnt it, aye?
Yes.
Although I understand you can get tablets for that sort of thing now.
ElRobbie
23-01-09, 09:28 AM
The good thing about this one if it happened is they made their money in costruction so hopefully that would put us in good hands with regards to getting the stadium built, if they can come in and get that done, a 60-70k stadium would make us self sustainable, a good strong squad and youth setup, if they then sold us ina few years that wouldn't matter as the club would be able to look after itself money wise.
BahBah75
23-01-09, 09:30 AM
what is going on today? Takeover talk all through the news and no mention on here! :) could we finally be getting rid of dumb and dumber?
Funnily enough, the news is in the appropriate forum - i.e. the speculation one :crackoff:
The good thing about this one if it happened is they made their money in costruction so hopefully that would put us in good hands with regards to getting the stadium built, if they can come in and get that done, a 60-70k stadium would make us self sustainable, a good strong squad and youth setup, if they then sold us ina few years that wouldn't matter as the club would be able to look after itself money wise.
Very good point.
That is the main area of concern for me - I would rather the club was managed to become self-sufficient asap rather than laden with debt and reliant on the wealth of the owners to bail us out.
Would these new owners get rid of our debt when and if they take over?
Very good point.
That is the main area of concern for me - I would rather the club was managed to become self-sufficient asap rather than laden with debt and reliant on the wealth of the owners to bail us out.
Would these new owners get rid of our debt when and if they take over?
I would imagine it will depend on the terms they could negotiate on the loans. Most businesses have some level of debt. Not sure how anyone can hope to predict the financial details of anyones takeover plans except those directly involved.
The key for me is for whoever comes in to recognise the differences between a football club and other businesses and preferably to bring in someone with experience of football to advise them how to create a management structure around Rafa that will help run the football operation from academy to first team in a sustainable way. Other than that anyone capable of building the stadium and maintaining a decent level of funding for first team funding is probably a step forward.
PC Plod
23-01-09, 09:45 AM
Yes.
Although I understand you can get tablets for that sort of thing now.
No problems there mate- fair bit younger than you like. :p
Liverta 78
23-01-09, 09:51 AM
On the Beeb too -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/7846422.stm
michelmas
23-01-09, 09:51 AM
Interesting choice for seller seeing as how he took out a full-page ad in the International Herald Tribune calling George Bush a "fascist."
PC Plod
23-01-09, 09:57 AM
Interesting choice for seller seeing as how he took out a full-page ad in the International Herald Tribune calling George Bush a "fascist."
Fair play. Odd tho, given Hicks & Bush are mates, aye.
Vermilion
23-01-09, 09:59 AM
Cheers V for that list of articles, couldn't get to my laptop for ages, or a tv, heard about this and was itching to see what the score was, so obviously here was my first port of call, and what do i find....everything i need.:handshake:
Not going to get excited though, been here done this before, lets see what H&G have to say, should be fun if nothing else, no expectations at all on this.:)
Something must have changed though, why oh why would they want Newcastle before us, or maybe that should be 'try to buy them before us', maybe they did want us first but couldn't bid for some reason, the Sheik maybe, hope they aren't just using us to get Ashley to drop his price.
The_weatherman
23-01-09, 10:22 AM
Interesting choice for seller seeing as how he took out a full-page ad in the International Herald Tribune calling George Bush a "fascist."
I am warming to him already.
He sounds Ideal, Rich but not to rich. I really dont want to become like Man City, Just a decent transfer Kitty of £40m-£70m a season, be in the mix for the best youth and have an 80k stadium.
Cormack74
23-01-09, 10:51 AM
The good thing about this one if it happened is they made their money in costruction so hopefully that would put us in good hands with regards to getting the stadium built, if they can come in and get that done, a 60-70k stadium would make us self sustainable, a good strong squad and youth setup, if they then sold us ina few years that wouldn't matter as the club would be able to look after itself money wise.
And very handy their wad isn't (just?) from oil in view of the price nose diving.
bobbyfallon
23-01-09, 10:59 AM
hard to get enthusiastic about this link. see what happens i guess, wont be holding my breath to be fair. been let down to often in the past
PC Plod
23-01-09, 10:59 AM
He sounds Ideal, Rich but not to rich. I really dont want to become like Man City, Just a decent transfer Kitty of £40m-£70m a season, be in the mix for the best youth and have an 80k stadium.
That is a pretty big clout mate! But, aye it would be ideal.
Beeflfc
23-01-09, 11:21 AM
I hope this rumor is true but i dont see hicks and gillet selling the club before the end of the season.
That is a pretty big clout mate! But, aye it would be ideal.
:handshake:
I'd actually be happy with them guaranteeing similar funds to the last few years but less dependent on sales etc. so long as they were progressing the stadium.
barnes10
23-01-09, 11:48 AM
"banking, fast-food and tourism"
don't fancy their income streams much over the coming years.
"banking, fast-food and tourism"
don't fancy their income streams much over the coming years.
Or our new sponsors.
The_weatherman
23-01-09, 12:51 PM
"banking, fast-food and tourism"
don't fancy their income streams much over the coming years.
Was thinking the same, and you left out construction as well :haha:
But it's better than Hicks' I suppose, which is taking out another loan.
There's 1 thing I don't understand though - apparantly this Saudi guy is offering 500 million pounds which is exactly the same as what Sheikh Makhtoum offered to buy the club for. Why is the Saudi's offer being taken seriously & the Sheik's wasn't?
It is good to have money in fast food when there is depression.
Jayesh87
23-01-09, 01:25 PM
I am sure it probably has been mentioned but just incase it hasn't....
Sky Sports News understands that talks are about a minority shareholding and they are unsure if this would interest the Kuwaiti family.
Jack D Rips
23-01-09, 02:02 PM
I hope this rumor is true but i dont see hicks and gillet selling the club before the end of the season.
Did you think it was going to happen tomorrow?
Jack D Rips
23-01-09, 02:04 PM
There's 1 thing I don't understand though - apparantly this Saudi guy is offering 500 million pounds which is exactly the same as what Sheikh Makhtoum offered to buy the club for. Why is the Saudi's offer being taken seriously & the Sheik's wasn't?
They are now just 6 months away from having the loans called in. No more extensions from the bank apparently
cled the red
23-01-09, 02:24 PM
I am sure it probably has been mentioned but just incase it hasn't....
Sky Sports News understands that talks are about a minority shareholding and they are unsure if this would interest the Kuwaiti family.
Substitute "understands" for "are guessing"!!!
Manofthebog
23-01-09, 02:26 PM
I believe Toni B
TOM HICKS and George Gillett have appointed rival banks in a bid to root out prospective buyers for Liverpool.
In the latest indication of the ongoing split between the club's owners, Hicks has appointed Merrill Lynch, while Rothschilds are working on behalf of Gillett.
In the past month advisers for Hicks have held a series of meetings with potential investors, on at least one occasion without the knowledge of Gillett, although that situation has since been resolved by the pair.
The family of former Newcastle suitor Nasser al Kharafi has been identified by Merrill Lynch as one possible buyer and Liverpool's chief financial officer, Philip Nash – a close ally of Hicks – travelled to the Middle East earlier this week to hold talks with the 48th richest man in the world.
When the ECHO learned of the latest development we contacted Hicks' London-based PR advisers Financial Dynamics but were issued with an emphatic denial.
But sources close to Hicks insist that ongoing discussions are taking place with al Kharafi, who is interested in a total buyout of the Anfield club.
It has emerged in the talks that al Kharafi – who attended Liverpool College of Commerce before graduating with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Business Administration – has claimed to be a Reds fan.
Hicks is looking to retain a stake in the club, possibly even as high as 25%, as he views Liverpool as a potentially lucrative investment going forward and does not want to miss out on the expected massive returns should the club finally move to its long planned new stadium.
Gillett, on the other hand, is understood to be ready to sell his stake in its entirety, having become increasingly disillusioned with life as co-owner of Liverpool.
The pair are united in their desire to extract as much cash as possible from any deal, however, and are believed to be seeking in excess of £500m for any complete sale.
But with the owners’ refinancing deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland due to expire in July, and with no realistic prospect of the outstanding £350m loan being re-approved, it is likely that any potential buyer would look to drive a hard bargain on price.
Hicks and Gillett are both planning to attend Liverpool's home game with Chelsea on February 1, by which time they are hoping to have a much clearer idea of where the club is heading.
Al Kharafi is one interested party, but the ECHO understands there are others, with a prominent European businessman also having made contact with Merrill Lynch to express his interest in buying the Reds.
According to the Forbes rich list, Al Kharafi has an estimated personal wealth in the region of £9bn.
Last year, he was linked with a move to buy Newcastle United but no deal materialised. This time around, his interest in Liverpool has been partly inspired by his nephew, Rafed Al Khafari, who believes the Reds would be a more sound long term investment.
The Al Kharafi family first expressed an interest in Liverpool last summer but, having opened a channel of communication, they then pulled out without any warning or explanation.
But having now returned to the negotiating table there is a clear desire on their behalf to get a deal done as quickly as possible to stave off the possibility of becoming embroiled in an auction which could push the asking price up – something which would suit Hicks and Gillett.
Reds chief executive Rick Parry is being kept in the dark by Hicks, who is relying on former Arsenal executive Nash to negotiate on his behalf.
Parry has remained on Merseyside while Nash has travelled to the Middle East in a further indication of the strained relations in the Liverpool hierarchy.
The ongoing boardroom power struggle shows little sign of abating and Parry knows that should Hicks retain any influence in the club in future his days at Anfield are likely to be numbered.
But Liverpool's fans are unlikely to be impressed if any deal is done which allows Hicks to retain any influence on the club, having protested against the Texan on several occasions.
el matador
23-01-09, 02:36 PM
I believe Toni B
TOM HICKS and George Gillett have appointed rival banks in a bid to root out prospective buyers for Liverpool.
In the latest indication of the ongoing split between the club's owners, Hicks has appointed Merrill Lynch, while Rothschilds are working on behalf of Gillett.
In the past month advisers for Hicks have held a series of meetings with potential investors, on at least one occasion without the knowledge of Gillett, although that situation has since been resolved by the pair.
The family of former Newcastle suitor Nasser al Kharafi has been identified by Merrill Lynch as one possible buyer and Liverpool's chief financial officer, Philip Nash – a close ally of Hicks – travelled to the Middle East earlier this week to hold talks with the 48th richest man in the world.
When the ECHO learned of the latest development we contacted Hicks' London-based PR advisers Financial Dynamics but were issued with an emphatic denial.
But sources close to Hicks insist that ongoing discussions are taking place with al Kharafi, who is interested in a total buyout of the Anfield club.
It has emerged in the talks that al Kharafi – who attended Liverpool College of Commerce before graduating with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Business Administration – has claimed to be a Reds fan.
Hicks is looking to retain a stake in the club, possibly even as high as 25%, as he views Liverpool as a potentially lucrative investment going forward and does not want to miss out on the expected massive returns should the club finally move to its long planned new stadium.
Gillett, on the other hand, is understood to be ready to sell his stake in its entirety, having become increasingly disillusioned with life as co-owner of Liverpool.
The pair are united in their desire to extract as much cash as possible from any deal, however, and are believed to be seeking in excess of £500m for any complete sale.
But with the owners’ refinancing deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland due to expire in July, and with no realistic prospect of the outstanding £350m loan being re-approved, it is likely that any potential buyer would look to drive a hard bargain on price.
Hicks and Gillett are both planning to attend Liverpool's home game with Chelsea on February 1, by which time they are hoping to have a much clearer idea of where the club is heading.
Al Kharafi is one interested party, but the ECHO understands there are others, with a prominent European businessman also having made contact with Merrill Lynch to express his interest in buying the Reds.
According to the Forbes rich list, Al Kharafi has an estimated personal wealth in the region of £9bn.
Last year, he was linked with a move to buy Newcastle United but no deal materialised. This time around, his interest in Liverpool has been partly inspired by his nephew, Rafed Al Khafari, who believes the Reds would be a more sound long term investment.
The Al Kharafi family first expressed an interest in Liverpool last summer but, having opened a channel of communication, they then pulled out without any warning or explanation.
But having now returned to the negotiating table there is a clear desire on their behalf to get a deal done as quickly as possible to stave off the possibility of becoming embroiled in an auction which could push the asking price up – something which would suit Hicks and Gillett.
Reds chief executive Rick Parry is being kept in the dark by Hicks, who is relying on former Arsenal executive Nash to negotiate on his behalf.
Parry has remained on Merseyside while Nash has travelled to the Middle East in a further indication of the strained relations in the Liverpool hierarchy.
The ongoing boardroom power struggle shows little sign of abating and Parry knows that should Hicks retain any influence in the club in future his days at Anfield are likely to be numbered.
But Liverpool's fans are unlikely to be impressed if any deal is done which allows Hicks to retain any influence on the club, having protested against the Texan on several occasions.
so that means there is defo something to the story then.
I feel a lot of anger towards hicks and gillett because they bought the club for just over £200m (with planning permission for a 60k stadium) and then all of a sudden decided it was valued at nearly half a billion pounds with the outline permission for a 60k stadium.
Can someone explain to me just how do they think the value of liverpool fc has appreciated over the last 24 months to that level and what they have done to make it so ?
If they say the club was undervalued in the first place David Moores should get a gun and shoot rick parry in the arse because that fucker cost moores at least £150m.
They are getting desperate but at least potentially its some good news in whats been a couple of really shit weeks for us.
Sadgeek
23-01-09, 02:50 PM
...
The key for me is for whoever comes in to recognise the differences between a football club and other businesses and preferably to bring in someone with experience of football to advise them how to create a management structure around Rafa that will help run the football operation from academy to first team in a sustainable way...
Wouldn't fully agree with that. Manager's come and go, and to build a structure around one person is very risky.
By all means ask Rafa what structure he would like to see, but I wouldn't give him carte blanche to do what he wants with my money
wont believe this until the deal is done.
Reds chief executive Rick Parry is being kept in the dark by Hicks, who is relying on former Arsenal executive Nash to negotiate on his behalf.
Now i believe. :handshake:
EwarWoo
23-01-09, 03:00 PM
Wouldn't fully agree with that. Manager's come and go, and to build a structure around one person is very risky.
It's worked pretty well for the scum.
And as much as they're having a bad season this year it's not exactly failed for Arsenal.
Reds chief executive Rick Parry is being kept in the dark by Hicks, who is relying on former Arsenal executive Nash to negotiate on his behalf.
No prizes for guessing who leaked the story to the press then.
Smacks of someone who's not involved and therefore against any deal going ahead.
Once again the clubs needs put behind personal wishes
Wouldn't fully agree with that. Manager's come and go, and to build a structure around one person is very risky.
By all means ask Rafa what structure he would like to see, but I wouldn't give him carte blanche to do what he wants with my money
I meant build it round Rafa as he is our manager at present and I don't want him changed. I've argued elsewhere that I think there needs to be board control of elements of transfer negotiations etc. The structure however has to be built to serve the football side of the business for the whole to work well IMO.
it seems the worlds richest are all playing an elite game of "Monopoly - Barclay's Premier League"
Manofthebog
23-01-09, 04:27 PM
Apparantly from the Kuwait Times....
Al-Kharafi denies Liverpool buyout report
Published Date: January 23, 2009
By By staff writer
KUWAIT: Al-Kharafi denied yesterday reports that it was negotiating a buyout of English Premier League club Liverpool. “Al-Kharafi Group is not at the moment looking to a buy a club,” a source within the group told Kuwait Times. “Our main concern is to promote and advertise Port Ghalib and this rumour about Liverpool probably came from that.”
The source indicated that Mohammad Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons Company (MAK) was looking at the possibility of sponsoring a club as a means of promoting the Egyptian tourist resort. Port Ghalib is a luxury vacation destination on the Red Sea built by the Al-Kharafi company.
London’s Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday that Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks had held talks with representatives from Al-Kharafi regarding a possible 600 million pound buyout of the club.
Last year, reports surfaced that MAK was looking at Newcastle as well. But it’s likely that those reports also had to do with the company’s interest in sponsoring a Premier League club.
MAK is a multinational firm with operations and businesses in more than 30 countries. Focused primarily on construction, manufacturing, real estate and hotels, MAK holds significant stakes in Americana, the largest food company in the Middle East and multinational telecom provider Zain
Return of the MAK!! Clintdogg will be so happy...
:taxi:
Vermilion
23-01-09, 04:34 PM
Well this buyouts credibility lasted all of one day then.:haha:
Manofthebog
23-01-09, 05:14 PM
Liverpool owners put buyers on red alert Print Email+ Share+ 23/01/2009 - 16:37:10
Liverpool’s co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have attempted to start an auction for the Anfield club.
While it has emerged today that one of the world’s richest dynasties are in talks over a possible £500m takeover, it is also clear that the Kuwaiti Al-Kharafi family are not interested in purchasing just a minority share, as has been suggested.
Hicks and Gillett have appointed rival banks to try to find potential buyers - Merrill Lynch are working for Hicks while Gillett has appointed Rothschilds.
There is already believed to be one European party that wants to discuss a deal, and if the two banks can find further suitors, the American co-owners may be able to force a sale in excess of £500m.
It has emerged that Hicks sanctioned talks this week with the Al-Kharafi family, initially over funding for the club’s new stadium but then for a possible takeover.
Gillett is thought to have been initially unaware of the talks, held with the club’s commercial director Ian Ayre and financial director Phillip Nash.
Both are considered to be allies of Hicks in the on-going divorce between the club’s owners.
A source close to the deal said: “Hicks has been trying to sell his assets, and that is believed to include Texas Rangers, while Gillett has cut back on his NASCAR involvement.
“Liverpool was almost sold to the Al-Kharafi family in November, it only needed a signature, but they walked away. Hicks is believed to have been furious.”
Now the deal has been resurrected.
The Al-Kharafi family’s wealth is estimated at £8bn, and they had previously been involved in talks to buy Newcastle.
They are led by two brothers, Nasser and Jassem, but the planned purchase of Liverpool is likely to be a project overseen by one of their sons.
And it has also emerged that Nasser claims to be a Liverpool fan.
He attended Liverpool College of Commerce before graduating with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in business administration.
Hicks and Gillett both now plan to attend the home game with Chelsea on February 1 when their objectives will be clearer, and they are also likely to try to revive contract negotiations with manager Rafael Benitez.
It is now accepted that Liverpool will have to be sold by July, with there being no chance of the Royal Bank of Scotland refinancing the co-owners’ £350m loan taken out to buy the club two years ago.
That loan was extended for six months at the beginning of the year, but the source said: “Hicks has been told time is running out, the clock is ticking.”
They added: “Hicks knows that RBS will not refinance the original deal.”
Gillett, who wanted to sell to Dubai International Capital last season only to be thwarted by Hicks, is understood not to be planning to block this current move in retaliation.
In the 50-50 partnership, both sides must agree on a deal to sell. Gillett could block it, but business requirements will take precedence.
The Americans know they must find a buyer or a new financial arrangement with another bank – or see RBS take control themselves.
In the current climate no other bank is likely to take on such a new loan, while RBS’s involvement in control of Liverpool would also put the Government in a difficult position considering they now own a majority stake.
Return of the MAK!! Clintdogg will be so happy...
:taxi:
:haha:
Can the man from the Gulf bridge the Anfield divide?
* Mihir Bose - BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/mihirbose/2009/01/can_the_man_from_the_gulf_brid.html) sports editor
* 23 Jan 09, 03:27 PM
Liverpool's potential new owner Nasser Al -Kharafi could not be a more powerful man. He is reckoned to be one of the richest men in Kuwait and the largest shareholder in the National Bank of Kuwait and his politician brother is chairman of the Kuwaiti National Assembly.
He will see any investment he might make in Liverpool much more as a financial investment and is unlikely to behave like the Abu Dhabi owners of Manchester City, who are intent on splashing the money and demanding that the best of world football be assembled at Eastlands.
The talks with Liverpool's current owners are at an early stage but the likely price of about £400m should not cause Nasser Al-Kharafi, a man in his late 60s, and whose fortune is estimated at more than £10bn, too much bother.
He has recently built a city out of nothing in Egypt and in the past his extensive investments have been in the Arab world including the Lebanon and Morocco.
Although he has investments in the West they are well screened and not that visible. Should he buy Liverpool this would be his most public investment here. He is also known as a cautious, discreet, conservative businessman, with no previous interest in football. But his nephew, Rafed, is a strong supporter of a sports club in Kuwait.
Any deal with joint American owners of Liverpool, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, will not come easily. I understand that the club's finance director Philip Nash, the man recruited from Arsenal by Tom Hicks for the job, was in Kuwait at the weekend talking to the Al-Kharafi family.
The Al-Kharafi family was initially contacted by Gillett last year. It started as Gillett trying to secure finance for a new stadium, which was heralded as one of the main objectives when Gillett and Hicks bought the club nearly two years ago.
Computer-generated image of the proposed new Liverpool stadium
The talks blossomed into a possible sale but did not progress and collapsed. They have been revived by Hicks in recent weeks.
Some reports suggested that this indicated another breakdown in the relationship between the two Americans. Ever since they became owners of Liverpool the two owners have provided us with a rollercoaster ride, marked by disputes and a relationship that blows hot and cold.
There have even been suggestions that things between the two are now so bad that the Hicks initiative means the current talks centre around Hicks, with the help of the Kuwaitis, buying out Gillett and retaining an interest in the club or selling his own stake. However, reliable sources have told me that this is just not the case.
The talks conducted by Nash have been, and are being conducted, on behalf of both Hicks and Gillett. Both the Americans want to sell. The question is whether the Americans will get the price they want.
Back in February 2007 the two Americans paid £174.1m for shares of the Merseyside club (along with a debt of £44.8m - meaning Liverpool had an enterprise value of £218.9m).
Just over a year ago, when Hicks was in talks with DIC, he wanted £1bn. Now the price has come down to £600m but a price of £400m is more realistic in the current climate.
Tom Hicks, George Gillett
The American owners will soon need to renegotiate their deal to finance the club. It was just over a year ago that they agreed a £350m financing package with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia Bank, but both banks are now in desperate trouble.
The deal was due to end in January 2009 and has been extended to July 2009.
In order to secure the £350m deal, £225m was provided in a variety of ways, including cash from the owners, letters of credit and personal guarantees. Neither Hicks nor Gillett have ever disclosed how much personal guarantees they gave but it is believed personal guarantees from each owner amounted to £90m.
I understand that in the last week Gillett has refinanced some £75m of his personal guarantees.
The fact that the talks on the sale are being conducted by Philip Nash and not Rick Parry, the club's chief executive, suggests that the internal wars that have been part of the American ownership of Anfield may have revived.
While Parry has a good relationship with Gillett his relationship with Hicks has always been rocky.
Just over 10 months ago Hicks wrote a letter to Parry asking him to resign, Parry refused, describing it as offensive and stayed with the backing of Gillett.
A further strain has come as a result of ongoing problems with Rafa Benitez's new contract. Benitez is demanding total control over transfers, the sort of control no manager has in the English game. Not only does he want control over who is bought and sold but how much they are paid and the details of their contract.
Parry and representatives of Hicks and Gillett refused to accept such demands.
However, since then Benitez has made public comments which, while critical of the club, have been warmer towards Hicks. Hicks in turn has said he understands Benitez's frustrations, comments which have not gone down well with Parry.
With Parry on the sidelines as the current sale talks proceed it indicates what a tangled web Liverpool remains. It will take some time before the whole thing gets resolved though my Kuwait sources say should Nasser Al-Kharafi buy the club he will bring in his own management team to run the club for a very hands-on approach.
Hmmm.. very interesting. It seems this story has some genuine meat to it. IMO MAK could be denying it to ward off late interest from other parties.
Manofthebog
23-01-09, 05:18 PM
Hmmm.. very interesting. It seems this story has some genuine meat to it. IMO MAK could be denying it to ward off late interest from other parties.
why show your hand at a poker game.
too much smoke, again.
Well this buyouts credibility lasted all of one day then.:haha:
While I think all of these talks have to be taken with a pinch of salt I would say that there is a reasonable possibility that it is still happening but not specifically through MAK at the minute.
Vermilion
23-01-09, 05:24 PM
While I think all of these talks have to be taken with a pinch of salt I would say that there is a reasonable possibility that it is still happening but not specifically through MAK at the minute.
Could well be, but it didn't take them long to deny it, all in the same 24hrs the story broke and was denied, as you say there is a reasonable possibility that something is happening with someone, how close we are to a takeover though is another matter.:handshake:
While I think all of these talks have to be taken with a pinch of salt I would say that there is a reasonable possibility that it is still happening but not specifically through MAK at the minute.
Not strange that this happens when Gerrard is in court...
Joe King
23-01-09, 05:28 PM
Return of the MAK!! Clintdogg will be so happy...
:taxi:
See avatar <------------------------
Manofthebog
23-01-09, 05:28 PM
Not strange that this happens when Gerrard is in court...
...........that's one big chuffin smokescreen
...........that's one big chuffin smokescreen
Wouldn't involve much though. Get one person to run an article about it and the rest is a media snowball.
Jack D Rips
23-01-09, 05:38 PM
Can the man from the Gulf bridge the Anfield divide?
* Mihir Bose - BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/mihirbose/2009/01/can_the_man_from_the_gulf_brid.html) sports editor
* 23 Jan 09, 03:27 PM
Liverpool's potential new owner Nasser Al -Kharafi could not be a more powerful man. He is reckoned to be one of the richest men in Kuwait and the largest shareholder in the National Bank of Kuwait and his politician brother is chairman of the Kuwaiti National Assembly.
He will see any investment he might make in Liverpool much more as a financial investment and is unlikely to behave like the Abu Dhabi owners of Manchester City, who are intent on splashing the money and demanding that the best of world football be assembled at Eastlands.
The talks with Liverpool's current owners are at an early stage but the likely price of about £400m should not cause Nasser Al-Kharafi, a man in his late 60s, and whose fortune is estimated at more than £10bn, too much bother.
He has recently built a city out of nothing in Egypt and in the past his extensive investments have been in the Arab world including the Lebanon and Morocco.
Although he has investments in the West they are well screened and not that visible. Should he buy Liverpool this would be his most public investment here. He is also known as a cautious, discreet, conservative businessman, with no previous interest in football. But his nephew, Rafed, is a strong supporter of a sports club in Kuwait.
Any deal with joint American owners of Liverpool, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, will not come easily. I understand that the club's finance director Philip Nash, the man recruited from Arsenal by Tom Hicks for the job, was in Kuwait at the weekend talking to the Al-Kharafi family.
The Al-Kharafi family was initially contacted by Gillett last year. It started as Gillett trying to secure finance for a new stadium, which was heralded as one of the main objectives when Gillett and Hicks bought the club nearly two years ago.
Computer-generated image of the proposed new Liverpool stadium
The talks blossomed into a possible sale but did not progress and collapsed. They have been revived by Hicks in recent weeks.
Some reports suggested that this indicated another breakdown in the relationship between the two Americans. Ever since they became owners of Liverpool the two owners have provided us with a rollercoaster ride, marked by disputes and a relationship that blows hot and cold.
There have even been suggestions that things between the two are now so bad that the Hicks initiative means the current talks centre around Hicks, with the help of the Kuwaitis, buying out Gillett and retaining an interest in the club or selling his own stake. However, reliable sources have told me that this is just not the case.
The talks conducted by Nash have been, and are being conducted, on behalf of both Hicks and Gillett. Both the Americans want to sell. The question is whether the Americans will get the price they want.
Back in February 2007 the two Americans paid £174.1m for shares of the Merseyside club (along with a debt of £44.8m - meaning Liverpool had an enterprise value of £218.9m).
Just over a year ago, when Hicks was in talks with DIC, he wanted £1bn. Now the price has come down to £600m but a price of £400m is more realistic in the current climate.
Tom Hicks, George Gillett
The American owners will soon need to renegotiate their deal to finance the club. It was just over a year ago that they agreed a £350m financing package with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia Bank, but both banks are now in desperate trouble.
The deal was due to end in January 2009 and has been extended to July 2009.
In order to secure the £350m deal, £225m was provided in a variety of ways, including cash from the owners, letters of credit and personal guarantees. Neither Hicks nor Gillett have ever disclosed how much personal guarantees they gave but it is believed personal guarantees from each owner amounted to £90m.
I understand that in the last week Gillett has refinanced some £75m of his personal guarantees.
The fact that the talks on the sale are being conducted by Philip Nash and not Rick Parry, the club's chief executive, suggests that the internal wars that have been part of the American ownership of Anfield may have revived.
While Parry has a good relationship with Gillett his relationship with Hicks has always been rocky.
Just over 10 months ago Hicks wrote a letter to Parry asking him to resign, Parry refused, describing it as offensive and stayed with the backing of Gillett.
A further strain has come as a result of ongoing problems with Rafa Benitez's new contract. Benitez is demanding total control over transfers, the sort of control no manager has in the English game. Not only does he want control over who is bought and sold but how much they are paid and the details of their contract.
Parry and representatives of Hicks and Gillett refused to accept such demands.
However, since then Benitez has made public comments which, while critical of the club, have been warmer towards Hicks. Hicks in turn has said he understands Benitez's frustrations, comments which have not gone down well with Parry.
With Parry on the sidelines as the current sale talks proceed it indicates what a tangled web Liverpool remains. It will take some time before the whole thing gets resolved though my Kuwait sources say should Nasser Al-Kharafi buy the club he will bring in his own management team to run the club for a very hands-on approach.
Dont think Rafa ever said he wanted this control
Joe King
23-01-09, 05:43 PM
Dont think Rafa ever said he wanted this control
Might do, we don't know what Benitez wants.
Well he is certainly annoyed that he has no power to give Agger a new contract. So i don't blame him for being pissed at having no power
If they want £500M isn't that a lot less $ than they'd already (supposedly) been offered?
Something a bit odd here?
Vermilion
23-01-09, 07:58 PM
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/jan/23/liverpool-kuwait-takeover-nasser-al-kharafi
Vermilion
23-01-09, 10:11 PM
Talking about this on 5 live now.
wavydavy
23-01-09, 11:12 PM
Talking about this on 5 live now.
And?
The Kuwaitis are denying the report
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/7848428.stm
why show your hand at a poker game.
too much smoke, again.
It must be a pretty big fire, beacuse this takeover has been going on for nearly 2 years.
Jack D Rips
24-01-09, 01:09 AM
Might do, we don't know what Benitez wants.
I thought he said he wanted control to spend the transfer budget. Nothing more.
Yeah me too man. I'm not quite getting big stiffs just yet.
Stinky Balls and now big stiffs. :shake:
kingfunk
24-01-09, 04:33 PM
On TLW posted by Ulysses Everett McGill.
"Don't know if its been mentioned, but it's been suggested that one of the Kharafi's is married to a sister of Sheikh Maktoum.
Not 100% whether the person in question was either Nasser Al Kharafi or his nephew Rafed Al Kharafi.
Either way it's an interesting caveat."
shanks69
24-01-09, 04:38 PM
On TLW posted by Ulysses Everett McGill.
"Don't know if its been mentioned, but it's been suggested that one of the Kharafi's is married to a sister of Sheikh Maktoum.
Not 100% whether the person in question was either Nasser Al Kharafi or his nephew Rafed Al Kharafi.
Either way it's an interesting caveat."
if its true i would guess its nasser as he is in the same age bracket as maktoum.but i'm not holding my breath theres been to many false dawns:sigh:
THE Kuwaiti family currently in the running to buy into Liverpool FC has already done due diligence on the club’s finances, sources have revealed.
The Al-Kharafi family, whose £8bn fortune is based on construction and a number of holdings in the banking, fast food and tourism sectors, pulled out of a previous deal just before it was due to be signed in November, the Daily Post understands.
That means much of the background work has already been done, which could help speed up any sale.
Conflicting accounts emerged yesterday over whether a full sale of the club at a figure around £500m, or just a partial sale, was being discussed, while a rival European suitor is also understood to be in the mix.
Last night, the Spirit Of Shankly, the Liverpool FC supporters union, said any sale of the club should only be to “fit and proper owners, true custodians who would look after the values and traditions of our club, and treat it with the respect it deserves”.
LFC’s American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have appointed rival banks to try to find potential buyers – Merrill Lynch are working for Hicks, while Gillett has appointed Rothschilds.
The Daily Post understands that, although Hicks and Gillett have separate advisors, the pair are working “hand in hand”.
Philip Nash, the club’s financial director, has already travelled to the Middle East, and is understood to be holding discussions aimed at reducing the club’s debt in the first instance.
The Al-Kharafi family had previously been involved in talks to buy Newcastle.
They are led by two brothers, Nasser and Jassem, but the planned purchase of Liverpool is likely to be a project overseen by one of their sons.
And it has also emerged that Nasser claims to be a Liverpool fan.
He attended Liverpool College of Commerce before graduating with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in business administration.
Hicks and Gillett both now plan to attend the home game with Chelsea on February 1 when their objectives will be clearer, and they are also likely to try to revive contract negotiations with manager Rafael Benitez.
“There is definitely some activity going on, but where it is up to now is anyone’s guess,” said a club source.
Last night, Hicks declined to comment.
Gillett wanted to sell to Dubai International Capital last season, only to be thwarted by Hicks.
In the 50-50 partnership, both sides must agree on a deal to sell, and it is understood the pair have agreed to sell on the same terms.
The impetus to sell increases by the day, as the pair’s current re-financing loan of £350m with Royal Bank of Scotland, taken out when they bought the club two years ago, expires in July.
That loan was extended for six months at the beginning of the year, and the chances of negotiating a new loan are thought to be remote, but not totally out of the question.
Top Edit
ELNINO 9
24-01-09, 04:54 PM
nice one kop
So hard to take any of this as concrete.
the fact they had a deal to buy us in place ready to sign last year before they walked away means its obvious they'd have already done due diligence.Not sure if they'd have to ,or want to do it again this time.
Craig_H
24-01-09, 08:47 PM
the fact they had a deal to buy us in place ready to sign last year before they walked away means its obvious they'd have already done due diligence.Not sure if they'd have to ,or want to do it again this time.
Last year it was DIC who had a deal in place to buy us, wasnt it? Not this lot. Unless of course there's a chance that they're connected.
kingfunk
24-01-09, 08:50 PM
Last year it was DIC who had a deal in place to buy us, wasnt it? Not this lot. Unless of course there's a chance that they're connected.
I believe this lot nearly had a deal done in july 2008 (after DIC walked away) but walked away at the last minute, prob will get us cheaper now at the moment.
Remember phonex that was on here he said somthing about this around that time too (people from Kuwait) and i believe he was banned from RAWK for saying it!
Leyton388
24-01-09, 09:03 PM
I believe this lot nearly had a deal done in july 2008 (after DIC walked away) but walked away at the last minute, prob will get us cheaper now at the moment.
Remember phonex that was on here he said somthing about this around that time too (people from Kuwait) and i believe he was banned from RAWK for saying it!
Rawk is a joke the way it is policed!
Phoenix06
24-01-09, 11:04 PM
[/B]
Rawk is a joke the way it is policed!
Dictatorship of "democracy".
kingfunk
24-01-09, 11:06 PM
Investors will make Liverpool sweat
Liverpool face months of uncertainty over their future ownership as potential suitors have indicated they will wait until the last minute to get the best possible price for the club.
By Rory Smith
Last Updated: 10:21PM GMT 24 Jan 2009
Tom Hicks and George Gillett - Investors will make Liverpool sweat
Out of pocket? Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett may face to a wait to sell the Premier League club Photo: PA
Reported talks with the family of Kuwaiti billionaire Nasser Al-Kharafi have been met with an emphatic denial by his representatives, and Gulf sources believe the fact that rumours emerged of talks taking place is just a sign of Hicks's desperation to sell.
Investors believe that the current owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, will be forced to lower their £500 million asking price as the July deadline for the repayment or refinancing of their £350 million loan from RBS and Wachovia approaches.
Should the American duo fail to strike a deal with one of "fewer than five" possible investors, the troubled banks could seize the asset or even call in an administrator to try to sell the club.
City sources suggest the chances of the loan being refinanced are close to zero, given the current plight of both banks. Other investment giants are believed to offer little hope of redemption unless there is a massive upward turn in the state of the market before the summer.
That leaves selling the club as the only viable option for Hicks and Gillett, but their efforts to do so thus far have brought little success, even as forced sellers. Telegraph Sport understands that Hicks has been actively seeking to sell the club for more than a year through investment bank Merrill Lynch.
One potential stumbling block could be Hicks's determination to retain a seat on the board at Anfield, something investors may be unwilling to countenance. With the threat of administration, though, such considerations may be sacrificed.
Such talk is hardly the ideal backdrop for Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, who insists he knew nothing about the latest development in the boardroom saga, ahead of today's FA Cup clash with Everton.
BigChief
25-01-09, 12:44 AM
Seems like the banks have two options: sell LFC assets or force Hicks/Gillett to accept the nearest best offer. Given the complexity of trying to sell assets, like Torres etc who can simply keep turning down other clubs, the easiest of the two options would be to force Hicks/Gillett to sell at a considerably marked down price.
Sounds like all good news to me for now. Looking forward to the summer.
CHRIS BASCOMBE, 24/01/2009
LIVERPOOL were reeling from a £1billion blow last night when the Kuwaiti consortium pulled OUT of negotiations to buy the club.
Anfield chiefs had been in talks with billionaire (above) but were stunned last night when the Arabs walked away.
It was a body blow to co-owner Tom Hicks, who had been at the forefront of bringing the Kuwaitis to the table.
He’d dispatched Liverpool finance director Phillip Nash, and his Dallas negotiating team of Roy Bailey and Casey Coffman to secure the deal in talks held in Kuwait and London with the world’s 48th richest man.
Bidders
Al-Kharafi is reported to be worth as much as £11bn, but he called off talks over the price and due to Hicks’ demands.
Hicks valued the club at £600m, as much as £200m more than the Kuwaitis were prepared to pay. The new owners would also have had to stump up £400m for a new ground.The Texan also wanted to retain at least a 25 per cent share in the club.
That was a prospect rejected not only by the Kuwaitis, who insisted on full control at Anfield, but also by Kop co-owner George Gillett Jr.
Gillett Jr, who is in talks with FIVE rival bidders, made it clear he would not sell the club unless Hicks was run out of town too.
A source close to the Kuwaiti group said: “It is absolutely definite, there will be no bid from the Kharifi camp. Any interest is now over.”
The Anfield civil war is now in the midst of an explosive endgame, with the latest developments seriously undermining Hicks’ chances of staying at Liverpool.
After a period of relative calm, the co-owners are at loggerheads again, with both fully aware the clock is ticking and they must find investment before a summer refinancing deadline. Their uneasy truce was shattered when Gillett discovered Hicks had arranged private meetings with representatives of the al-Kharafi family.
Gillett, who owns 50 per cent of Liverpool, is prepared to sell 100 per cent of the club to the right bidder, but is adamant no deal will be agreed which keep Hicks at Anfield.
His message to all interested parties is simple: “I’ll go, but only if Hicks comes with me.”
Hicks is desperate to force his rival out first, and has been using his support of manager Rafa Benitez to promote his chances of survival.
On the back of the manager’s hardline stance on a new contract, Hicks is trading on what he perceives as Benitez’s popularity among Liverpool fans and Rafa’s distrust of Gillett and chief executive Rick Parry.
He’s offering himself to investors as the man who can convince Rafa to stay at the club.
Stake
But he can do nothing without Gillett’s agreement. And, thanks to the bitterness between the co-owners, the chances of a smooth sale of Liverpool now appears remote.
The only scenario which can be ruled out is both Hicks and Gillett keeping a joint controlling interest in the club.
Of the five bidders still interested one is believed to be based in Dubai.
An Anfield source told Sport of the World: “George is frustrated because he’s happy to sell for the good of the club, but not if it means Tom keeps a stake. A deal can be done for 100 per cent ownership with one of the five interested parties currently in negotiations — if Tom agrees to sell too. The real obstacle is Tom’s unwillingness to walk away from the club. George is fearful Liverpool will make a big mistake if they allow Tom to remain in some form of management role.
“He appreciates the fans want them both out, and is saddened by how it’s gone over the last 18 months, but he doesn’t want things to be any worse by walking away and leaving Tom at the club.
Pivotal
“If George gets the impression the fans would really accept a situation where he goes and Tom stays, he may change his position but at the moment he is sure that’s not the case.”
Gillett also insists he is under no immediate pressure to sell his 50 per cent shareholding and will go out of his way to thwart a bid by Hicks to retain any stake in Anfield.
Yet again, Liverpool are left in a sorry mess behind the scenes during a pivotal point in their season.
The Kop will be in a rage that a campaign which was progressing so promisingly on the field is in danger of being completely overshadowed by fighting in the boardroom.
Last year, it was Hicks’ refusal to surrender total control to Dubai International Capital which contributed to the collapse of talks.
As now, Gillett was more willing to walk away from the club on the condition Hicks left with him.
Hicks and Gillett will attend next week’s Anfield clash with Chelsea. They will sit in the directors box — just yards from each other, but miles apart in their views of the club.
kingfunk
25-01-09, 10:01 AM
Sounds to me that hicks needs to be reminded that he is not wanted and never will be...
He should be reminded at Chelsea home game...
kingfunk
25-01-09, 10:42 AM
He should be reminded at Chelsea home game...
Yep, A few discreet banners here and there wouldnt go amiss.
Jack D Rips
25-01-09, 10:45 AM
We need to be focused on the match next week not protests
kingfunk
25-01-09, 10:54 AM
We need to be focused on the match next week not protests
I agree, thats why i said a few discreet ones, nothing major. If there is one there it will be picked up.
all last week the papers were convinced that both h&G want out. Then this douche-bag to sell papers use's the old 'hicks/gillett refuse's to go', either the rest are making it up and have zero-credible sources or he Bascombe is.
Jayesh87
25-01-09, 01:01 PM
all last week the papers were convinced that both h&G want out. Then this douche-bag to sell papers use's the old 'hicks/gillett refuse's to go', either the rest are making it up and have zero-credible sources or he Bascombe is.
Have you read the article?
Its says that GG and TH realise they have to sell by the summer but TH wants to retain a minority stake in the club (25%) which is exactly what all the other papers were saying earlier on in the week and that the Kuwati family were against this. CB has added some new info saying that GG won't sell his stake unless TH sells all of his....
I would say the stories have stayed prity consistant through all the papers....
The only problem I have with Bascombe's piece is it looks suspiciously like a bit of Gillet propaganda designed to make him look innocent in all the this when the truth is he's as much of a cunt as Hicks is as they both want to extricate as much money from any deal as possible.
kingfunk
25-01-09, 03:42 PM
DUBAI INTEREST STILL IN RECKONING
Posted 25/01/09 14:02
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Dubai interests may again emerge as the main player in the battle to buy Liverpool.
Speculation is growing in the Middle East that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, thought to have lost interest in the Anfield club last year as the credit crunch started to bite, may be preparing another move for the club.
But if that does happen, it will only be during the summer as Liverpool's current American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett try to extend their £350million loan with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia - a prospect which, in the current financial climate, looks remote.
Sheikh Maktoum is the ruler of Dubai and founder of Dubai International Capital, who were involved in lengthy and ultimately unsuccessful negotiations to buy the club last year.
The Sheikh then took on the potential takeover on a personal level, but also opted to pull away several months ago.
But with the intense rivalry between the Arab states over ownership of Premier League clubs, the Sheikh is again believed to be reviewing the situation.
It emerged last week that a Kuwaiti group, the oil-rich Al-Kharafi family, were involved in talks - initially with Hicks - over a potential buyout, plus the £400m financing of the club's proposed new stadium.
But the £600m asking price was considered too high and, following the amount of publicity the offer generated, it is now believed consortium leader Nasser Al-Kharafi has pulled out of negotiations.
A source close to the Middle East groups said: "The price was too high and the Kuwaitis were annoyed that their interest was leaked.
"Surely in the current climate, and with time running out on the Americans who must repay or re-finance their loan in July, nobody is going to buy Liverpool at this present time.
"The price drops with every passing day, and any prospective buyer would now wait until the summer before making a move. By then, the Americans would have to accept a much lower price - around £400m or lower."
That applies if the Americans fail to re-negotiate their current deal, although there have been suggestions they still have hopes of achieving that.
RBS were prepared to give them a six-month extension on that loan this month. But that was an existing deal, and they are highly unlikely to take on a new agreement with the Americans.
The source said: "With the Government now with majority control of RBS, it would seem unlikely that Liverpool would be allowed a huge new loan while other businesses around the country are not."
It has already been suggested there is a new interest from Dubai, plus half a dozen other interested parties who will to talk to Hicks and Gillett.
Talks involving Liverpool's finance director Phillip Nash and the commercial director Ian Ayre - along with high-level Hicks negotiators from Dallas - were held talks last week in London and the Middle East with the Kuwaitis.
But the £600m price was a sticking point, as were attempts by Hicks to continue as a minority shareholder. That looks to have brought him back into conflict with Gillett, who wants both Americans to leave on the same terms.
Reports of internal friction at Anfield have therefore surfaced again, with manager Rafael Benitez and chief executive Rick Parry seemingly supporting different factions.
Last season it was Hicks who blocked the bid from DIC that was supported by Gillett - and now the co-owners appear to be at loggerheads again.
They will both be at next Sunday's home game against Chelsea, Hicks arriving a few days earlier in the hope of breaking the impasse over Benitez's new contract.
Sheikh Maktoum and his Dubai associates, meanwhile, are watching and waiting.
Crazy-Horse
25-01-09, 07:43 PM
If you were an astute businessman, would you be interested in committing to buying our club at the moment, when in six months you have the potential for at best (from buyer POV) a mortgagee sale, or at minimum, a great discount, particularly when your currency is appreciating against the GBP/USD, and conditions to make this trend reverse seem bloody unlike.
You would be mad to step in now, but you have advertised your interest, so that if the Banks do force G&H to sell, you are already in the game.
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