English Premier League giant Liverpool F.C. is to be sold to the owners of the Boston Red Sox, the club confirmed Wednesday.
Liverpool F.C. Chairman Martin Broughton confirmed the sale to Boston Red Sox owner John Henry’s New England Sports Ventures (NESV) in an announcement on the club’s website.
“I am delighted that we have been able to successfully conclude the sale process which has been thorough and extensive,” Broughton said.
“The Board decided to accept NESV’s proposal on the basis that it best met the criteria we set out originally for a suitable new owner. NESV’s philosophy is all about winning and they have fully demonstrated that at Red Sox.
“We’ve met them in Boston, London and Liverpool over several weeks and I am immensely impressed with what they have achieved and with their vision for Liverpool Football Club.
“By removing the burden of acquisition debt, this offer allows us to focus on investment in the team. I am only disappointed that the owners have tried everything to prevent the deal from happening and that we need to go through legal proceedings in order to complete the sale.”
Cash-strapped American duo Tom Hicks (the former Texas Rangers owner) and George Gillett put Liverpool up for sale in April, with the duo keen to end their association if a buyer could be found to meet their $953.4 million (£600 million) asking price, Sky News reported.
But on Tuesday the pair stressed they would “resist any attempt to sell the club without due process or agreement,” Sky Sports reported.
Liverpool confirmed Tuesday, for the first time, that two official bids had been made — one of which was from NESV.
They were described as “excellent financial offers to buy the club that would repay all its long-term debt.”
Liverpool — currently languishing in the relegation zone under new boss Roy Hodgson — has an October 15 deadline to repay debts of about $448 million (£285m) to the Royal Bank of Scotland resulting from the 2007 takeover by Hicks and Gillett.
