Story perspectives

Amit Bhatia Consortium Nears $1.8B Liverpool Stake Purchase

8/12/2026

Summary

Bhatia Consortium Buying

Amit Bhatia-led consortium is close to buying a 30 percent stake in Liverpool.
The group, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, would value Liverpool at $6 billion, making the stake $1.8 billion (£1.4 billion).
Spirit of Shankly wrote to Liverpool at the end of July demanding timing, board seats, and due-diligence.
Financial analyst Kieran Maguire said the sale would not affect Liverpool’s transfer budget because spending is tied to revenue.

Summary

Bezos Takeover Test

The Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test requires Jeff Bezos to meet eligibility criteria before the Liverpool takeover can be approved.
Amazon’s Prime Video, which paid about £30 million per season for UK rights, now only sub-licenses matches in Scandinavia, raising conflict-of-interest concerns.
Spirit of Shankly and the Supporters’ Organisation SoS have demanded details on board seats, governance influence and investors’ voting rights, with league officials declining to comment.

History

Historical Context

In 2005 the Glazer family bought Manchester United for £790 million, delisting it after a deal that cut the share price about 30 % and sparked protests. Earlier bids by Robert Maxwell (1984) and BSkyB (1998) had already shown clubs’ vulnerability, prompting groups like Spirit of Shankly. The 2024 consortium of Jeff Bezos, Eduardo Saverin and Amit Bhatia seeks a £1.4 billion 30 % stake in Liverpool, raising scrutiny.

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Bhatia Consortium Buying

Amit Bhatia-led consortium is close to buying a 30 percent stake in Liverpool.
The group, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, would value Liverpool at $6 billion, making the stake $1.8 billion (£1.4 billion).
Spirit of Shankly wrote to Liverpool at the end of July demanding timing, board seats, and due-diligence.
Financial analyst Kieran Maguire said the sale would not affect Liverpool’s transfer budget because spending is tied to revenue.

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