Liverpool Takeover bid nearing completion....

[all_funkt_up]

...about fucking time too.

Apparently some Dubai based consortium is finalising a bid for us. The same people that own Godolphin and Madame Toussauds apparently, Sheik Maktoum. I thought originally it was Jock McToum the glasgee kebabshop owner but apparently he's some billionaire from the middle east.

Much happier about this consortium taking us over. For me, they seem to be a better buyer. Money coming out of every orafice and they seem interested in the brand, prestige, winning and not just making a profit. I cant see them re-mortgaging Anfield or whatever like Malcolm the Glazier.

Football clubs dont make money so you need a madman with deep pockets like Roman Abramovich if it is going to be a success. Half a £Billion he is going to need to buy the club, have a transfer kitty, clear the debts and build the stadium. Shed loads of cash that.....

"One Sheikh Maktoum, there's only one Sheikh Maktoum"

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Location - "bonny Scotland" AFU?

Im always sceptical about these takeovers now AFU. Always look like a great deal but there is always some hidden agenda in there somewhere.

Hope it works out for you mind.

[all_funkt_up]

I am always as wary Kiko. However with this bloke I think (and hope) it is different. Everyone has an agenda, Glazer's was to make cash and to have a financially sound business that would make him and his family money. Fair enough.

Some people, like say Franny Lee, go in with good intentions but dont have the cash to see it through. They run out of reddies and are loathe to let go. I think this guy is different.

It seems to me as if he appreciates quality and presige. He is doing it as a massive ego-trip. He wants a play thing and wants to be adored. Fair enough. Imagine the buzz when your horse wins the national - amazing. Imagine the buzz when your club wins the European Cup.... a million times better.

I think he's just some rich arab with more money than sense who wants to funnel some of his cash our way. Brilliant!

[all_funkt_up]

Looks like it's a done deal

This from this afternoons Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL Football Club is set to be taken over by the investment
arm of the Dubai government, the ECHO can confirm.

Control will transfer into the hands of the world's fifth-richest
man, whose personal fortune dwarfs that of Chelsea owner Roman
Abramovich.

Barring a last minute hitch the stunning deal worth around £400m
will go ahead in the next few weeks, taking Britain's most
successful football club into a hugely exciting new era.

The takeover, which should ultimately delight supporters, represents
a remarkable coup for the club and for Chairman David Moores and
Chief Executive Rick Parry

Both have worked tirelessly to ensure the Reds receive the huge
injection of cash they need, from the right partner who understands
Anfield's history and traditions.

The deal will fund the building of the Reds' new 60,000 seater,
£200m stadium in Stanley Park, clear the club's £80m debt and bring
significant funds to develop Liverpool on and off the pitch,
enabling them to continue to compete for the world's top stars.

Dubai International Capital is today embarking on a process of due
diligence at Anfield examining details of the club's financial
affairs before they sign the ag reement.

Provided that proceeds without a problem, the takeover could be
concluded either at the end of this month or in the New Year.

The club is unlikely to make any statement until it feels the time
is right.

However, the Reds' battle for investment is now all but over
following talks with DIC - a company which owns Tussauds and the
London eye and which is linked to Dubai's ruling Maktoum family.

The Maktoums are one of the world's richest, owning the Godolphin
Racing stables as well as governing one of the most rapidly
developing, oil-rich countries in the modern world.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum is Prime Minister and Vice
President of the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Ruler of Dubai.

With an estimated personal wealth of $10bn, there are only four men
on the planet with more cash than him.

A further article written as well by Echo columnist Chris Bascombe

£400m to start a new eraDec 4 2006

CHRIS BASCOMBE traces the history of missed chances and false
promises over the years

Chris Bacombe, Liverpool Echo

IT IS appropriate that Liverpool head back to the scene of their
greatest comeback today.

Off the pitch, the most lucrative deal in the club's history, with a
man wealthier than Roman Abramovich, will be noted by generations to
come as a fightback of equal significance.

With the clock ticking on the club's dreams of building a £180m
stadium, a three-year pursuit for investment is finally on the brink
of conclusion, ensuring that the Stanley Park plans proceed.

The stakes could not have been higher for the Liverpool hierarchy,
with the temperature within the boardroom increasing daily.

A multi-million pound deal with one of the richest economies on the
planet would represent a stunning hat-trick for chairman David
Moores and chief executive Rick Parry.

Not only have they ensured that the Stanley Park stadium can be
built, but the resources Rafael Benitez craves should also be
available.

More significantly, the long-term financial security of Liverpool
Football Club would be strengthened through an alliance with one of
the richest and most stable economies on earth.

To put it into perspective, Liverpool's last strategic partnership,
when Granada purchased a 9.9% stake for £21m in 1999, looks no more
than a generous handshake with a Big Issue salesman in comparison to
the wealth and powerof the United Arab Emirates.

And although the imminent agreement should not be compared with the
Roman Abramovich takeover of Chelsea, even the Russian looks like a
pauper when stood alongside the UAE royal family, who are ultimately
the power behind Dubai International.

The wealth of the Emirate states is measured in trillions, not
billions.

Their pockets are deep, and if a successful Liverpool Football club
becomes their ambition, their financial insecurities can be
consigned to history.

The first priority of the club is to safeguard the stadium plans so
the Dubai group should not be seen as an Abramovich style benefactor
willing to sign the cheques which will allow Benitez to make Chelsea-
style bids for players.

Fans or rival clubs expecting an instant series of £20m offers for
the world's top stars would be misinterpreting the deal.

But as well as helping to pay for the stadium, it would be illogical
if funds were not also made available to the manager. The concerns
he's expressed should be eased, if not completely eradicated.

That said, it would also be unwise for Liverpool to advertise an
increased transfer kitty too publicly.

As the board said at last year's AGM, "all roads lead to
investment". After hitting a cul-de-sac for so long, Liverpool can
now drive forward unobstructed.

If the process concludes as well as anticipated over the next three
weeks, Parry and Moores can share a glass of bubbly with a sense of
relief, triumph and satisfaction of a job, eventually, well done.

The process of attracting investment has been painful, emotional and
expensive.

The chairman was on the brink of resigning in public on at least two
occasions, while behind the scenes he was tantalisingly close to
selling part of his stake to rival Steve Morgan.

Morgan valued the club at £70m and vowed to invest millions more,
but he refused to proceed with a deal which would see Moores claim
51% of his bid.

Either side of the local entrepreneur's forlorn proposal, the club
flirted with some of the richest men on the planet, with Parry
clocking up air miles with a prolific zeal.

The lowest point was arguably Parry's meeting with Thai prime
minister Thaksin Shinawatra in May, 2004.

When the Liverpool chief executive was pictured in Bangkok, it
provoked a furious reaction from human rights campaigners, urging
the Reds to steer clear of such dirty money. The meeting with US
businessman RobertKraft last season was greeted more
enthusiastically, but Parry's trip to America was as much a fact
finding mission as arealistic bid for cash.

Kraft financed his New England Patriots American football stadium by
entering a partnership with Gillette.

While the Thai and American links led to brief media hysteria,
Liverpool were still no closer to securing investment.

Less publicised interest emerged from Arab countries, with the Abu
Dhabi government understood to be showing their interest in late
2005, and investment groups from Saudi Arabia and Dubai increasingly
linked with stadium sponsorship.

An alternative plan would see Liverpool follow the Arsenal blueprint
and take a £200m loan from a variety of banks.

However, this strategy was incredibly risky, effectively mortgaging
Liverpool's future based on a decade of Champions League
participation.

Parry wisely advised against this from the start

A plan to move to a new stadium was first announced in 2000, but the
unpredictability of football threatened to scupper the club's plans.

When Parry confidently unveiled his vision for Liverpool's future,
no fan could foresee the economic mis-fortune ahead.

Liverpool were seemingly heading in the right direction under the
leadership of a visionary French manager.

Two years on, the Reds were not even in the European Cup.

Major investment in the squad was rewarded with a series of dud
signings, and the manager and his back-room team eventually left at
a cost of £20m.

While the team failed to raise capital, the stadium costs threatened
to spiral out of control. Feasibility studies were undertaken at
huge expense, while the Northwest Development Agency seemed
reluctant to provide the grant.

Liverpool were urged to reopen the shared stadium debate in order to
cut costs. Parry steadfastly fought against these outside pressures,
maintaining his confident stance that he would deliver.

By November 2006, Belfast businessman and lifelong Liverpool fan
John Miskelly appeared to be in pole position.

He valued the club at £140m, preparing to pay £4,000 a share to take
control of the club. In addition, he was prepared to consider
ploughing in a further £80m to underwrite stadium costs and provide
manager Rafa Benitez with a transfer kitty.

Rival bidders were prepared to pay £4,400 ashare, valuing Liverpool
at more than £150m.

Parry and Moores also met George Gillett Jnr, an American
businessman best known as the owner of Canadian Montreal Ice Hockey
team and former owner of the Harlem Globetrotters.

But Gillett also favoured are opening of the shared stadium debate
with Everton, which meant Liverpool were less enthusiastic about his
interest.

Parry knew his regular jaunts to the United Arab Emirates offered a
regular chink of light in pursuit of investment. The Abu Dhabi
government-owned Etihad Airways were close to agreeing a shirt
sponsorship deal 12 months ago.

Approaches to Arab investors were increasing in frequency and it was
hoped a major investment deal would be struck ahead of last year's
AGM, which was deliberately delayed.

Dubai International had negotiated with Liverpool before, but
chairman Moores has always been adamant he'd only sell shares to the
right bidder.

After years of criticism, Parry and Moores can now justifiably argue
they have delivered the goods.

With investment on the brink of being secured, a new stadium backin
the realm of reality and transfer funds surely to be made available
to Benitez, Liverpool fans can soon allow themselves a smile as
bright as one of their chief executive's famously eccentric shirts.

City in a state of luxury

DUBAI is one of seven states which make up the United Arab Emirates.

Oil was discovered there in the 1960s, but has now been replaced by
tourism as the most lucrative income source.

Dubai City, located on the coast of the Persian Gulf, is growing
faster than any city on earth.

The state's beaches, which stretch for 25 miles, are currently home
to almost $100bn worth of development projects either underway or
planned.

Dubai International Capital (DIC) was established in 2004 as the
international investment arm of Dubai Holdings.

The Long road to the new Stadium

August, 2000: Liverpool announce plans for a 70,000-seater stadium
on Stanley Park at a cost of around £70m. It is hoped the rewards of
regular Champions League participation will meet the bulk of the
costs.

May 17, 2002: Liverpool release full details of their plans. A
vision of a 55,000 seater stadium by the start of the 2005 season is
unveiled, with costs now estimated nearer £90m.

May, 2003: A miserable season ends with Liverpool failing to qualify
for the Champions League, having gone out of the tournament in the
group stage. Roman Abramovich takes over Chelsea.

January 2004: At a stormy AGM, the costs of Champions League failure
are made public. Chairman David Moores says he'll "consider his
position" if Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Shareholder Steve Morgan accuses the club of "fiddling while Rome
burns."

May 10, 2004: Rick Parry meets Thai prime minister Thaksin
Shinawatra to discuss a £50m investment in the club.

May 12, 2004: Shareholder Steve Morgan proposes to invest £73m into
Liverpool by issuing new shares. The deal would involve Moores
reducing his 51 % stake. A day later, Liverpool reject the bid.

May, 2004: Gerard Houllier sacked as Liverpool manager. It costs
Liverpool a total of £20m to fire Houllier and members of his
backroom staff. Rafael Benitez takes over.

July 23, 2004: Councillors accept the stadium plans, but refer a
final decision to deputy prime minister John Prescott.

July 2004: A further bid by Morgan leads to the process of "due
diligence" at Anfield. Rumours are rife that Moores is on the verge
of selling shares taking him below 51%.

August, 2004: Steve Morgan says he's pulled out of further
investment talks.

September 27, 2004: John Prescott gives the green light to
Liverpool's stadium plans.

December 2004: Liverpool announce record losses of £21m. Moores
faces more criticism at the AGM. Stadium costs are believed to have
risen to £130m with the capacity now 60,000.

May 2005: A lucrative sponsorship deal with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad
Airlines collapses at the last minute. Parry continues to nurture
contacts in the Arab states.

May, 2005: Liverpool win the Champions League - and £28m.

October, 2005: Parry meets US tycoon Robert Kraft, owner of the New
England Patriots.

February, 2006: The North West Development Agency accepts a £10m
grant application to help regenerate the area around Liverpool's
proposed stadium.

February, 2006: Stadium costs confirmed as £160m. March, 2006: Rafa
Benitez says he needs more team investment to realise his ambitions
of challenging Chelsea for the title.

June, July, 2006: Benitez spends an estimated total of £28m on
signings.

August 2006: A final deadline of September for Liverpool to cement
their plans is put in place by Liverpool city council. Rumours are
rife of a £200m bank loan.

October, 2006: Liverpool inform councillors of several investment
proposals. The council deadline passes with city planners satisfied
Liverpool will have the funds to build their stadium on Stanley Park.

October 27, 2006: An unnamed board member, later identified as
former chairman Noel White, launches an astonishing attack on Rafa
Benitez in the Daily Mirror. Days later, White resigns.

November, 2006: David Moores and Rick Parry travel to Canada to meet
George Gillett jnr.

November 25, 2006: The Anfield board considers its options.

November 27, 2006: Moores and Parry travel to Dubai for the Soccerex
conference.

December 1, 2006: Deal agreed in principle with Dubai International,
valuing Liverpool at around £160m, and ploughing funds to underwrite
cost of new stadium.

[crowie]

Goldolphin have the rep in racing of buying up all the best 2 year olds and then shipping them off to their stables in Dubai for the winter with the intent of scooping all the classics the following year.

I think Liverpool are going to be doing the same footballing wise, your going to become the Chelski of the North

Its all going to go well for a couple of seasons and then it will all go tits up and some speccy faced Irish lad (read MON) is going to dominate the EPL.

[Burt Saddo]

it's good news for Liverpool. With this company owning Mme. Tussauds it means you will have plenty of other dummies to choose from.

[all_funkt_up]

We need this deal to compete though. Trophies per £ spent we are doing ok I think, but we have been in a different league financially up to now. Our transfer record up to now was £14million for Cisse, compare and contrast with the wider football world:

Compared to:

Andriy Shevchenko - 30(?) mil pounds - AC Milan to Chelsea
Rio Ferdinand - 30 mil pounds - Leeds Utd to Manchester United
Juan Sebastian Veron - 28 mil pounds - Lazio to Manchester United
Wayne Rooney - 27 mil pounds - Everton to Manchester United
Michael Essien - 24.5 mil pounds - Lyon to Chelsea

Or the record transfers:

Zinedine Zidane - 44 mil pounds - Juventus to Real Madrid
Luis Figo - 37 mil pounds - Barcelona to Real Madrid
Hernan Crespo - 35.5 mil pounds - Parma to Lazio
Gianluigi Buffon - 32.6 mil pounds - Parma to Juventus
Christian Vieri - 31 mil pounds - Lazio to Inter

Without the investment, we would have slipped into the second tier of clubs.

Oh and as for Chelsea, "we are considerably richer than yaw...."

:loon

[all_funkt_up]

Suck my D.I.C.


Looks like the bid is nearing completion and should be through in the next week or so. There has been an ominous silence over the past month or so, but Rick Parry is optomistic that the deal will be through by the end of the month. Hopefully that will mean we have some decent mulah to spend come the summer.

Raul has been mentioned in the press over the weekend....

[all_funkt_up]

Good to see the BBC hack earning his corn here, f*cking muppet.

Liverpool close to £156m takeover
By Mihir Bose
BBC sports editor

Liverpool Liverpool are on the verge of agreeing a £156m takeover by the investment arm of Dubai's government.

The club's board of directors will discuss the final proposals by the Dubai International Capital Group at a meeting on Tuesday.

The deal, which will net chairman David Moyes more than £75m, is close to bring completed, but is not expected to be finalised until next week.

Moyes, who owns 51.6% of the club, made an initial investment of around £10m.

DIC has almost completed its due diligence, but Liverpool are keen to get the deal done in time to allow them to bring in some new players before the closure of the transfer window on 31 January.

It is unclear what level of investment in players will be made available to manager Rafael Benitez should the deal go through.

On Sunday, Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry said the deal was "not a quick fix, a rich man's play-thing. It's a long-term model for success, based around the new stadium".

"This will take us to the next level," he added.






http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/low/foo...ol/6263933.stm

[andeeeee]

hey AFU
do you recon we`ll be able to get free use of all the other companies DIC own , alton towers travel lodge toussards

[all_funkt_up]

Hope so mate. Maybe we could loan Salif Diao and Anthony Le Tallec to Madame Tussauds to display in their waxworks, because they're f*ck all use as footballers.

Some people reckon we have sold out, but I reckon its the only option. Sink or swim really isnt it.

[kompressaur]

Steven Gerrard - A year in my life (video)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=92E3YSSU
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AO9SSK7R
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EY4G8WDA

more coming here-
http://kompressaur.com/wordpress/?page_id=289

[ONEDUNME]

The Maktoum deal is off.


Another one on the table though.

[Burt Saddo]

Apparently Liverpool have been a bit greedy (not my words but a journalist based in Dubai) and have been touting the club to the Gillette family in America for more money than the Maktoums had offered. He said that the Sheikh is not a patient person and when he found out he called the deal off, he went on to say that if the Gillette group are not interested then Liverpool could be in trouble as they have apparently turned down offers from other interested parties in the past and potential buyers are now wary of doing business with David Moores. Looks like it could be a close shave.

[ONEDUNME]

It's certainly not going to be a smooth transition but you can't blame the David Moores for trying to get the best a man can get I suppose.