After Fenway Sports Group confirmed they are exploring the possible sale of Liverpool FC, a leading journalist from a John Henry-owned newspaper has outlined four possible scenarios.
On Thursday, the Boston Globe carried quotes from FSG partner Sam Kennedy who revealed that there had been “a lot of interest” in the club.
A day later, FSG founder Tom Werner said Liverpool’s owners were indeed “exploring a sale” but said there was “no time frame” and “no urgency.”
Now, Michael Silverman, the Globe journalist who published those comments, has explained how he feels there are four possible scenarios for FSG and the potential sale of Liverpool.
He too believes any sale or investment clearly isn’t imminent, but believes there is a reason why FSG have made the decision to explore their options now.
“I believe there’s four scenarios,” Silverman told BBC Radio Merseyside on Friday.
“One is someone just buys the club outright, another is someone buys a minority share now and over the years that becomes a majority share.
“Or, they simply get new partners who invest in the club, and Fenway Sports Group retains majority control. Or, they simply don’t sell at all.
“Maybe there’s a fifth scenario, and I’m not quite sure what that would be, but from everything I’ve heard and other members of the media have reported, everything is on the table.
“Yes, it’s very much in the early days, it doesn’t at all feel as if anything is imminent or about to happen.
“And as far as what the outcome is, you can read between the lines that whenever someone from Fenway Sports Group decides to speak publicly, you have to wonder why are they doing this, and why are they doing this now?
“From everything that’s been out there, they’re early in the exploration stage and they want to explore every single option, see what’s out there, so that’s where we are at this moment.”
When pressed on why FSG could be looking to sell up, Silverman referred to the European Super League fiasco and FSG’s struggles to “grapple” how European football works.
He also added that Financial Fair Play is “a big concern” for Liverpool’s owners, with Jurgen Klopp recently admitting that there is no way the club can compete with the financial backing of the likes of Man City and Newcastle.
“They’re still trying to grapple how it’s different in the Premier League and European soccer to north American sports,” Silverman continued.
“Not just with the threat of relegation, but not the guaranteed revenues every year. You have to qualify for the Champions League.
“European fans don’t think anything should be handed to them. You have to earn it. I think that’s something they learned the hard way, at least Liverpool did.
“I think Financial Fair Play is very much a big concern for them, as more nation states become owned teams in the Premier League, and I think you’re going to see an increasing activism from U.S. owned teams to try and compete.”
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