LONDON — Liverpool’s decision to sell a minority stake to a consortium of financial heavy hitters including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the latest move in the battle for supremacy between the American owners in the Premier League.
Just four months after Arsenal won the Premier League under the ownership of US billionaire Stan Kroenke, Liverpool’s hierarchy have opted for outside investment in a bid to regain the crown.
Armed with the cash generated by selling around a third of the club to Bezos and company, Liverpool will seek to dethrone Arsenal and claim a record 21st English title.
Joining the fight for Premier League bragging rights are Manchester United, majority-owned by US family the Glazers and Chelsea, whose ownership group is headed by American Todd Boehly.
Aston Villa, last season’s Europa League winners, are among six other Premier League clubs in which Americans hold ownership stakes.
The US-inspired Premier League arms race has led to a substantial spike in the valuations of England’s top clubs, giving their owners a handsome return on their initial investment.
Boston-based Fenway Sports Group bought Liverpool for £300 million (RM1.7 billion) in 2010.
Liverpool, who last won the Premier League in 2025, are now reportedly valued at between £5 billion and £6 billion after Friday’s deal with the star-studded consortium.
American tycoon Bezos is the fourth-richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$256 billion.
Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, reportedly worth US$32 billion (RM130 billion), is also a member of the consortium, while the group’s frontman –Amit Bhatia – is the son-in-law of Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal.
It is Bezos’s involvement that makes the deal so intriguing and will trigger speculation about the future plans of Liverpool’s owners.
Bezos was reportedly interested in two NFL franchises – the Seattle Seahawks, who were sold for £7.3 billion recently, and the Washington Commanders, sold for £4.6 billion in 2023.
Buying the stake in Liverpool gives the 62-year-old a potential route to eventually take over at Anfield despite reports he will be a ‘silent partner’.
