Liverpool’s operation on and off the pitch is now the envy of clubs around the world, and the way in which FSG have led the club to the top has attracted AC Milan.
Since FSG took charge in 2010, the Reds have been on a gradual rise to domination, and now as Premier League champions their efforts have paid off.
It has not always been a straightforward path for the club, with Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish and Brendan Rodgers all passing through before the appointment of Jurgen Klopp five years ago, but now they are at the pinnacle.
The majority of, if not all, signings are realising their potential at Anfield, with the club working well within their means and bringing silverware back to Merseyside.
Now, having won the league, the Champions League and the Club World Cup, Liverpool are a destination for the world’s best players, and those already at the club are not seeking the exit.
Milan are one of just two clubs above Liverpool in the list of European Cup winners, having won it seven times to the Reds’ six, but have not finished in the top four of Serie A since 2012/13.
Having seen Liverpool rise from a similar position to reclaim their place among the club, Milan have reached out to their old rivals in a bid to emulate their business model.
“We have been talking to Liverpool,” the club’s chief revenue officer Casper Stylsvig explained.
“Because they’ve been through the same path as we are going through now.
“Four, five years ago, no one considered Liverpool and see where they are now.
“They obviously play very attractive football. They are winning, they have a fantastic manager, a fantastic team and now they are following suit from a commercial perspective.
“It has taken time, but their model seems to work.”
This is less a credit to Klopp and his side and more to FSG and those working in the background—the likes of president Mike Gordon, chief executive Peter Moore and chief commercial officer Billy Hogan.
Their attention to detail is second to none, with Liverpool employing groundbreaking analysis to aid the manager’s approach, including director of research Ian Graham and his team.
Commercially, Liverpool have grown along with the side, and this has allowed the club to capitalise on their success further; the established brand has helped, of course, but the lure of Anfield is building with Klopp at the helm.
Milan are right to acknowledge that it is a slow build, and it should be seen as flattery that they saw fit to consult the Reds with how best to restore their reputation.
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