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Liverpool FC owners Thomas Ollis Hicks Sr. and George Nield Gillett Jr. are putting the club up for sale and have appointed Barclays Capital to find a buyer. The American owners have decided that selling the club, which £237m in debt, is their best option to solve problems in funding a new stadium for the club and providing a substantial transfer budget for manager Rafael Benitez.
Martin Broughton, chairman of British Airways and Deputy President of Confederation of British Industry (CBI), had been appointed by Hicks and Gillette as Liverpool’s new chairman on Friday, April 16, 2010 and will oversee a formal sale process.
According to the interview made by The Times, Broughton said that they want to do the right thing for Liverpool and that is having a new stadium. Since Hicks and Gillette handled the club in 2007, they weren’t able to move the club into a brand new ground in Stanley Park because of lack of funding.
Hicks and Gillett have posted a statement on Liverpool’s official website and this is what they said:
“Owning Liverpool Football Club over these past three years has been a rewarding and exciting experience for us and our families.
“Having grown the club this far we have now decided together to look to sell the club to owners committed to take the club through its next level of growth and development.
“We are delighted that Martin Broughton has agreed to take the position of chairman, working alongside the club’s excellent senior management team.
“Martin is a distinguished business leader of excellent judgment and with a great reputation. He is a genuine football supporter and will seek to oversee the sales process in the best interests of the club and its supporters.”
Negotiations will begin at the end of the season. Prospective buyers of the club will continue with plans to move to a new stadium and will be committed to take the club through its next level of growth and development. According to recent news, there are already six to seven parties who have shown their interest in buying Liverpool.
IMAGE SOURCE: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images
Topics: Anfield, George Nield Gillett Jr, Georgee Gillett, Liverpool, Martin Broughton, Premier League, Reds, sale, Soccer, sports, stadium, Stanley Park, Thomas Ollis Hicks Sr, Tom Hicks
