BarCap Source Reveals Five Bidders In Takeover Fray

A Hong Kong-based
businessman is the main
contender to takeover
Liverpool Football Club,
according to a source close to
Barclays Capital.
The Royal Bank of Scotland set a
deadline of 6 October for club
chairman Martin Broughton and
Barclays Capital to find a new
owner and bring an end to Tom
Hicks and George Gillett ’s Anfield
tenure.
With the deadline looming and a
number of potential investors
seemingly backing away from
making an offer, many reports
speculated the club were unlikely
to find a new owner before the
date.
But a senior source close to
Barclays Capital believes there to
be some interest in the club, with
“ as many as five bidders at in-
depth stages of due diligence”
and a “Hong Kong-based
investor leading the race” to take
over at Anfield.
The bank, however, appears
unwilling to offer any financial
support to the potential
investors, with the source stating
there is “no chance of BarCap
becoming involved with the debt
financing of any takeover ”.
However, Barclays Capital are
reported to be becoming
increasingly frustrated with the
current owners. “Unrealistic
valuations are driving us [BarCap]
insane, ” said the source. The
insider also accused the
American duo of being
“ unreachable”.