Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) would have likely sold the club if they were offered £4billion, according to The Athletic.
As per the report, John Henry and co were testing the waters when they put the Merseyside outfit up for sale in November.
Henry recently told the Boston Sports Journal that the club isn’t for sale, and that they’re currently in talks with investors over minority shares being sold.
The Athletic claim such a turnaround is the result of a lack of interest in the Reds’ £4bn valuation.
Even with US banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley seeking out interest over a full sale, no prospective buyers were forthcoming.
With Chelsea selling for a base £2.5bn last summer, FSG were keen to test the market to see how Liverpool would do with their larger international fan base and illustrious history.
It is said that, privately, FSG value the Reds at £4bn.
Consequently, the last few months suggest that few investors share FSG’s valuation. As Henry would thus see it, not one compelling offer is thought to have been made.
FSG would have likely sold for £4bn
Henry’s claim that they’re not selling the club thus implies that it was never on the market.
This seems strange given the coverage surrounding a potential takeover, and comments even made by FSG themselves.
Therefore, this suggests Liverpool were up for sale, but only for what Henry deemed the right price.
This figure is reportedly £4bn, dwarfing the £300m the Americans paid for the Reds in 2010.
Alike the Glazers at Manchester United, the owners would have jumped at an offer which met their valuation.
Instead, as this failed to come to fruition at Anfield, Henry and FSG have backtracked on their words.
Remaining with their majority ownership, hopefully they will now provide Jurgen Klopp with the funds he needs to reinforce the squad in the transfer market this summer.