Crystal Palace co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who also own NBA franchise Philadelphia 76ers, are interested in buying stakes in Liverpool.
That’s according to The Athletic, who claim some of the losing parties in the Chelsea takeover bid are keen on acquiring shares in either the Reds or arch-rivals Manchester United.
It is thought that Harris and Blitzer, of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, are ‘at the front of that particular queue’.
HBSE already own numerous sports teams. As per Liverpool World, these include the 76ers in the NBA (since 2011), NHL franchise New Jersey Devils (since 2013) and Team Dignitas, who are an eSports team.
Furthermore, Harris and Blitzer also own an 18% controlling stake in Premier League club Crystal Palace, meaning they would have to sell their shares in the Eagles to make a move for the Merseyside outfit.
Joshua Harris is reportedly worth an estimated £5bn, whilst David Blitzer is reportedly worth just over £1bn.
Harris and Blitzer lead the queue for Liverpool
This follows a report from November in which CBS journalist Ben Jacobs claimed HBSE were genuine suitors for Liverpool, having missed out on a global football brand in Chelsea.
They were the principal backers of Sir Martin Broughton’s bid for the Blues, who ultimately missed out to a Todd Boehly-led consortium last year.
Harris and Blitzer commented on the pursuit in October, claiming that although they love Crystal Palace, a global club like Chelsea – or Liverpool in this case – is too big of an opportunity to pass up.
Fenway Sports Group are currently on their last legs at Anfield. It appears the supporters have lost all trust in the owners, and John Henry himself seems reluctant to provide the club the investment it needs to compete at the top level in the Premier League.
Therefore, the prospect of HBSE taking over at Liverpool could be very exciting. However, it all depends on the level of investment they’re willing to make into the club, as the Reds are in dire need of a rebuild going forward.