Liverpool owner Fenway Sports Group confirmed the sale of a minority stake in the club to a consortium that includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
The consortium, named 1892 Holdings in acknowledgement of the year Liverpool was founded, will be led by British Indian businessman and former Queens Park Rangers co-owner Amit Bhatia, who will also become the club's new vice chairman.
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Sources told ESPN the stake is in the range of 30%, taking Liverpool's overall valuation to the region of £5.5 billion ($7.45 billion).
The consortium also includes the K5 Sports fund, led by Bezos, and EE Capital, the family office of Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin and his wife Elaine, who is set to join Liverpool's board. The move marks Bezos' first sports investment after many years of links to investment in a number of NFL franchises.
Bezos, who is the world's third-richest man with a reported net worth according to Forbes of $271.4 billion (£200.3 billion), is not expected to sit on Liverpool's board, with his representation instead coming via K5 Global's managing partner, Bryan Baum.
Saverin is a Brazilian businessman worth around $36 billion, according to Forbes.
Bhatia, who is married to a daughter of Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, recently stepped down after 18 years as co-owner of English second-tier team Queens Park Rangers.
"We are incredibly proud to be investing in Liverpool Football Club and to be doing so alongside FSG," Bhatia said on behalf of 1892 Holdings. "We have the utmost respect and admiration for FSG as owners and for everything they have achieved at Anfield. To be welcomed as a partner in a club of this stature is a huge privilege.
"We are making this investment because we believe deeply in Liverpool and its leadership, and we look forward to supporting the club's continued success for years to come."
FSG, which bought Liverpool for £300 million in 2010 and also owns the Boston Red Sox, retains majority ownership and operational control of the club, with day-to-day operations not expected to change.
"Liverpool has always been built by thinking beyond one season and making decisions with the club's long-term interests in mind," FSG president Mike Gordon said. "That approach continues to attract interest from respected investors and business leaders around the world.
"As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special. Their experience and perspective will complement the strong foundation already in place, and we look forward to working together."
This is the first external minority investment in Liverpool since Dynasty Equity purchased a 3% stake in the club for around $200 million in September 2023.
Under the leadership of Boston-based FSG and its principal owner John Henry, Liverpool ended a 30-year wait to be English champions in 2020 and added another Premier League title last year. That tied Manchester United on 20 English top-flight league championships.
The club was European champion for a sixth time -- a record for an English team -- in 2019.
The Premier League is one of the biggest competitions in sports, with its teams now largely owned by oil-rich gulf states or private equity.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
