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Jeff Bezos buys 30% stake in Liverpool - media

Jeff Bezos buys 30% stake in Liverpool FC - media report

Amazon founder and one of the world's richest people, Jeff Bezos, has acquired a nearly 30% stake in Liverpool Football Club. The deal was made through a consortium led by Amit Bhatia, son-in-law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal. The club's current owner, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), confirmed that a "final agreement" had been reached to sell the stake.

The deal was brokered by a group of investors led by Amit Bhatia. Bhatia is the son-in-law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal and was previously a shareholder of Queens Park Rangers. Under the new deal, Bhatia will take over as vice-chairman of Liverpool.

The deal values Liverpool at around $7 billion. According to Forbes, Bezos' personal fortune is estimated at more than $280 billion. This is his first investment in a sports club.

At the same time, Liverpool's current majority owner Fenway Sports Group (FSG) will retain a controlling stake in the club and operational management. Bezos will not hold an operational position in the club's management.

The deal also gives the Bezos-backed consortium the opportunity to increase its stake in Liverpool in the future. However, this does not guarantee a future purchase of a controlling stake in the club.

Liverpool's management has stated that the new investment will not affect the club's transfer policy. There will be no separate transfer budget allocated for the consortium's investment. Transfer decisions will, as before, be made based on the principles of the club's sporting direction and financial sustainability.

FSG chairman Mike Gordon stressed that the deal is consistent with the club's long-term development strategy. "Their experience and vision complement the strong foundation already created at the club. We look forward to working with them," Gordon said.

Bezos's stake in Liverpool is reportedly his first major investment in sports.

Bhatia, a 46-year-old British-Indian entrepreneur with a background in investment banking, currently runs AyBe Capital, a diversified investment firm that invests in a variety of sectors including technology, media, real estate, retail and healthcare. Bhatia is married to Vanisha Mittal Bhatia, the daughter of Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal. Bezos is one of the world's most famous businessmen and the owner of e-commerce giant Amazon, which he founded in a garage in Seattle in 1994. His other investments include aerospace company Blue Origin and venture capital firm Nash Holdings. Nash Holdings owns The Washington Post.

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