Liverpool’s owners could be set to mark 10 years with the club in scintillating style after it emerged that Fenway Sports Group are in talks over an investment deal as part of a merger with the company founded by Moneyball pioneer, Billy Beane.
The deal would see the two companies merge, with RedBall taking a 25 per cent stake in the new company which is currently valued at more than £6bn.
According to The Mirror, sources close to the deal suggest Beane would not be directly involved with the Red Sox, the baseball team who are also owned by FSG and instead the sporting executive legend will instead concentrate on building new sports ventures in Europe.
The benefits for Liverpool would be gigantic, allowing them for instance, to follow the same practices to that of the Red Bull group in bringing young players to Europe at relatively uncharted areas before being moved to bigger clubs, similarly to the pathway followed by Naby Keita from Salzburg to Leipzig and then Liverpool.
Beane’s background, similar to that of sporting director Michael Edwards is in sports analytics, and Liverpool’s principal owner John Henry has twice previously tried to hire him, first for the Red Sox, and then when he initially bought the Reds almost 10 years ago to the day.
What RTK has to say
This is gigantic news when you consider how far the club have risen over the past 10 years. Before FSG, Liverpool were in ruins having been saddled with debt and on the brink of administration.
Over the course of a decade, Liverpool have transformed the club from top to bottom, rethinking the club culture in order to innovate a self-sustaining model that has become the envy of all footballing rivals.
In recent years, Liverpool have recorded revenue off the pitch and have conquered the world on it, an unimaginable feat under the previous notorious owner’s Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
However, the impact of the global health crisis has led to unprecedented losses and, when coupled with the futility of FFP regulations, FSG may be waking up to the need for further investment.
During such a period where financial ramifications are vastly uncertain, Liverpool are being forced to live within their means whilst those around them spend extravagant amounts of money.
If Beane’s company does invest and pick up a minority investment in Liverpool then we could be able to make more decisive moves in the transfer market as well as the development of a more sustainable footballing pyramid to incorporate young talent into Anfield.
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