Jamie Carragher has admitted he’s surprised that FSG have put Liverpool up for sale.
The Reds legend was enjoying the final seasons of his career when FSG bought the club back in 2010, and has seen them help lead Liverpool to Premier League and Champions League glory since his own retirement in 2013.
While the Reds might have won every major honour going since Jurgen Klopp ’s appointment in 2015, FSG have faced outside criticism for not investing enough in the German’s squad, with their inconsistent start to the season only increasing the scrutiny.
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But Carragher has defended Liverpool’s owners when sharing his surprise at their decision to sell, after it emerged on Monday that they were actively searching for new investors and open to a full takeover.
“Fenway Sports Group have done a great job at Liverpool,” Carragher said when speaking on The Overlap, in partnership with Sky Bet . “They’ve never proclaimed to have the funds like Manchester United, Manchester City or Chelsea, but these are the owners who brought the Premier League back to Liverpool.
“They brought in Jurgen Klopp, Anfield and the training ground has been transformed, and they’re almost a model for teams like Arsenal who were in similar situations.
“I am surprised they’ve put the club up for sale and maybe there is something in the fact that Liverpool have never been more attractive with the position they’re in, but we don’t know why they’ve done it now.”
Meanwhile, speaking alongside Carragher, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville insisted it was the right time for the Reds’ owners to sell up due to their financial situation in comparison to some of the club’s title-rivals.
“It makes complete sense for the Liverpool owners to want to sell the club as they don’t have the money to compete with the other clubs in the league,” he said. “They’ve developed the stadium, they’ve got Jurgen Klopp as manager, and if the Chelsea valuation is now set as a benchmark for other clubs, the owners are thinking that now is a good time to get out.
“The Glazer family at Manchester United may be thinking the same thing about getting out now as they need the cash, but the difference with them is that some members of the family don’t want to get rid of the club.
“I said five months ago that the Manchester United owners have to sell the club because they need the cash to redevelop the training ground and stadium like what Liverpool are doing, but Chelsea’s valuation of £4.25bn will only last for 12-18 months before people realise that the club aren’t making any profit.”
Meanwhile, Carragher also shared his belief that Jude Bellingham would be the ‘perfect’ signing for Liverpool and would prove to be a bargain for whoever signs him from Borussia Dortmund despite carrying a hefty price-tag.
“I can see Liverpool spending up to £200m on their midfield in the summer,” he said. “Jude Bellingham would be the perfect fit, but he would be a lot of money.
“When Liverpool have spent big money in the past, it’s been on the goalkeeper and Virgil Van Dijk, who were bought in at great age profiles. Signing Jude Bellingham would be for a lot of money, but it would get to two years down the line and people would see it as a bargain.
“At his age, you’d have him for at least five seasons before he’d move on, which is a great investment for the club.”
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville were speaking on The Overlap, in partnership with Sky Bet .
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