Dubai International to make bid for Liverpool FC

[Harv]

no surprises that the negative report comes from the dailymail

Just sell us you stupid yank ****s. Why would they want to keep the club? The fans hate them, Rafa hates them etc etc.

[Jayesh87]

SSN's review of tomoz papers didnt reveal much, although the papers seem to be branding the 500million figure and not 350.

Also Shearer and King Kev have a rift

And Chelsea want Eto'o for 40mil and Avram has a 100mil transfer budget

Edit: Also the dumbass presenter said how us the fans would be pissed off if the Americans sold up

[sonsofthedesert]

Independent:

Dubai International Capital set to pounce with £500m Liverpool bid
Emirate's investment arm keen to capitalise on Anfield turmoil after falling short 12 months ago
By Paul Walker
Published: 20 January 2008
Dubai International Capital – the investment arm of the Dubai Government – is preparing to launch a £500 million bid to buy Liverpool, according to reports yesterday, with an offer in the process of being made to the club 's US co-owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

Initially it was thought that DIC, bankrolled by Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, were interested in buying Hicks' 50 per cent share. However, it is claimed DIC are now set to make an offer for the complete buy-out of the American pair.

DIC were close to their own takeover of the Anfield club 12 months ago before the Reds ' then chairman, David Moores, decided to go with the American investors instead. On Thursday a spokesman for Hicks insisted neither of the owners was considering selling their share and both remained fully committed to the club.

Gillett and Hicks ' reign, however, has caused turmoil on and off the pitch, and DIC have maintained their interest in becoming involved, despite the previous deal 's collapse.

Hicks has been heavily criticised by fans following disagreements with the manager, Rafael Benitez, and for his admission that talks were held with Jürgen Klinsmann about taking over as manager. The US businessmen are trying to finalise the terms of a £350m loan that would enable them to repay money borrowed for the £218.9m takeover, repay loans used to sign players, and enable work to commence on a re-scaled plan for a new stadium in Stanley Park.

Meanwhile, Martin Skrtel could get his first taste of the Anfield atmosphere, as Liverpool prepare to face Aston Villa tomorrow.

The Midlands side are in the heart of the pack trying to take fourth place from Liverpool, and the visit of Martin O 'Neill 's emerging side could be pivotal to the troubled Anfield club 's season. And Liverpool 's only acquisition in the current transfer window – the Slovakia defender Skrtel – has proved his fitness sufficiently to be considered. Benitez, who has been impressed with Skrtel 's first week at the club, said: "I am really pleased with him and am thinking about using him now. He can be available against Villa, in the FA Cup next weekend or maybe in the reserve game against Wigan on Tuesday. But he is certainly one of the options for the Villa game on Monday."

The FA Cup fourth-round home tie with non-League Havant and Waterlooville would be a more gentle introduction for the Slovak, but with Daniel Agger again out with a recurrence of his metatarsal injury, Skrtel could well find himself on the bench against Villa, at least.

A £6.5m signing from Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg, he had not trained for a fortnight ahead of his move to Anfield and had not played for a month. But he has since been put through his paces by Benitez's fitness staff and is keen to make an impact, saying: "To be the first Slovak to play for Liverpool makes me very happy. Not many Slovakian players have had the opportunity to play in the English League.

"I will give it everything to succeed here. I can't wait to play at Anfield. The stadium is beautiful and Liverpool have got the best supporters in England, if not the world."

Skrtel avoided the now customary boast at his unveiling that he had always supported the Reds. However, he revealed he is all too aware of goings on at Anfield over the last few years.

"I know about the great history of Liverpool and the tradition," he said. "Watching the Champions' League final when Liverpool played Milan in Istanbul left a big impressionon me.

"That type of game doesn't happen every day. I watched it on the television and I thought at half-time, 'that's it'. What happened in the second half was absolutely unbelievable."

Skrtel also arrived with the high praise of Benitez who has compared his style to Jamie Carragher – a plaudit the player is very happy to accept.

"I obviously knew about Jamie before I came here," said Skrtel. "He is a very good player and it's a compliment for me to be compared to him. The manager has told me he will give me time to improve my fitness and fit in and I know about how tough the competition for places is here.

"That is a good thing for a club to have and I will give it my very best. I will be working as hard as I can so I can get into the squad and I will also try to learn to speak English as soon as possible."

Peter Crouch, meanwhile, has reiterated that he is happy at Anfield. "Everyone talks about me talking to clubs," he said. "Maybe it's because I'm not playing every game but at a club like Liverpool you're not going to play every game. I've come to realise that this is the case at a club like this."

Independent

[kurtangle01]

SSN's review of tomoz papers didnt reveal much, although the papers seem to be branding the 500million figure and not 350.

Also Shearer and King Kev have a rift

And Chelsea want Eto'o for 40mil and Avram has a 100mil transfer budget

Edit: Also the dumbass presenter said how us the fans would be pissed off if the Americans sold up

Like when he said our european campaign had faltered this year....eh, aren't we in the last 16 facing Inter Milan next?

[StevieJ]

Bascombe saying DIC will oust current owners with £350m bid - even if the refinancing is secured (which a poster on RAWK is claiming is done) as they believe the additional debt will actually lower the value of the club.

[sonsofthedesert]

Bascombe:

Rafa of Arabia
Kop in new £350m buy-out
Exclusive by Chris Bascombe

LIVERPOOL will be bought for £350million by Dubai International Capital to end the club's American nightmare.
The Arabs are likely to make their move as early as the end of the week to oust owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

The Americans, who have had a tempestuous relationship with manager Rafa Benitez, controversially want to dump their debt on Anfield as they seek to re-finance to the tune of £350m. DIC had been negotiating with Gillett in a bid to oust Hicks but now they are determined to buy out BOTH Americans.

Hicks and Gillett can still sign a re-finance package with the Royal Bank of Scotland and American bank Wachovia.

That might give them six months breathing space but could cost them millions and insiders say it would only strengthen DIC's resolve to kick them out.

Debt

The last thing club insiders want is for them to maintain control, even for a few more months.

An Anfield source said: "In a strange way DIC may think it's worth waiting for the Americans' to refinance because it will lessen the value of the club because of the level of debt.

"But the best thing that can happen is for the pair of them to get out now. It's clear the old board has made a huge mistake selling to these two."

Bascombe

[Rashid]

I think we will be sold within a week. Goodnight.

[kurtangle01]

Bascombe:


Bascombe

I like Bascombe this week. lol.

[sonsofthedesert]

I like Bascombe this week. lol.

The worst thing is that I really do feel that way now.

[sonsofthedesert]

I think we will be sold within a week. Goodnight.

Did you just wait to see what Bascombe had said and then basically agree?
No offence mate but this is how it could look.

[Jayesh87]

Bascombe saying DIC will oust current owners with £350m bid - even if the refinancing is secured (which a poster on RAWK is claiming is done) as they believe the additional debt will actually lower the value of the club.

exactly, they would need to find another 300 million on top of that to fund the stadium...

...they have struffled enuff to get this loand, nevermind them gettin another 300mil.

Unless they stick the debt onto the club.

[StevieJ]

Article certainly leaves little room for doubt which would suggest that either Moores/Parry or DIC have been led to believe that an offer would be accepted by Tom & Jerry. Interesting also that he says DIC are "determined" to buy out both of them.

[Rashid]

Did you just wait to see what Bascombe had said and then basically agree?
No offence mate but this is how it could look.

I said it was a matter of days 8 hours ago!! And I don't need to see the paper to know Bascombe's views mate.

[sonsofthedesert]

Article certainly leaves little room for doubt which would suggest that either Moores/Parry or DIC have been led to believe that an offer would be accepted by Tom & Jerry. Interesting also that he says DIC are "determined" to buy out both of them.

Prefer them being called that than when some people compare them to the comedy genius that was Laurel and Hardy.

[Rashid]

No other club's fans could have done this so quick. The fans can be proud, first we kept Rafa in a job and now this. I am serious.

Well done all.. lets see how it pans out. Night.