Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group have no plans to sell the Boston Red Sox and have confirmed their interest in expanding their portfolio.
Since it emerged at the beginning of November that FSG were mulling over their long-term options at Liverpool, which include both a partial sale of the club to a minority partner or a full sale of their shareholding - but only at the right price, north of $4bn (3.3bn), their desire to keep hold of the Red Sox Major League Baseball team was called into question by some areas of the Boston fan base and the US media.
FSG have owned the Red Sox since 2002, delivering four World Series' during that time (2004, 2007, 2013, 2018), with the team having endured an 86-year drought on that front prior to the arrival of John Henry, Tom Werner and Co.
READ MORE: What Jurgen Klopp warned Philippe Coutinho about at Liverpool has come true after new low
READ MORE: Jude Bellingham to Liverpool transfer latest as cheeky Real Madrid message sent
But, in a situation that has mirrored what has been perceived to be happening at Liverpool, FSG haven't been universally popular owners in recent times, their more efficient approach to running a team, where spend on the product on the field has not been at the level of their rivals, allied with them losing major key players like Mookie Betts and, recently, Xander Bogaerts, has led to a decline in competitiveness in the American League East of which they are a part.
Henry was booed by some fans earlier this month at Fenway Park when he took his seat to watch the NHL Winter Classic between the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins, the latter an FSG-owned team, with calls for the Red Sox ownership to spend more money to keep their best players growing louder by the day.
Those calls were apparently heard as they inked a $313.5m, 11-year deal with their star Rafael Devers, a player who is seen as someone they can build around for the next decade. Devers had looked to be heading for a Fenway Park exit until headway was made over the Christmas and New Year period, with the Dominican feeling he was valued enough by the Red Sox to commit his playing career to the team.
At the press conference that accompanied his new deal on Wednesday in Boston, Liverpool chairman Werner was one of those present to field questions from the media. It was the first time in nearly three years that either Werner or Henry had spoken publicly to reporters in Boston.
Werner was quizzed on whether FSG were looking at selling the team, valued at some $3.9bn by Forbes magazine, to which the 72-year-old was clear in his response. "There are absolutely no plans," Werner told reporters (via MassLive.com).
"People should know that not only are our brains into trying to fix the last-place finish, but our heart is with our fans. I’m 72, John (Henry) is 72. We have a desire to win many more World Series here. As long as we’re healthy, we’re going to be hopefully improving the stewardship of the Red Sox.
"Our heart and soul is with the Red Sox."
Werner spoke to the Boston Globe in November about Liverpool's situation when he was approached for comment outside the MLB owners meeting in New York. There, the Reds chairman said that there was "no urgency" over a sale and that it was "business as usual", but confirmed that the owners were exploring their options over potentially parting with the most valuable asset in their $10bn portfolio, and the one that has delivered the fastest growth returns and greatest return on their initial investment.
From well-placed sources that the ECHO has spoken to in the US, the preference for FSG, and certainly Henry and some key partners, is to retain control at Anfield but sell some of their shareholding to a minority partner that can provide some strategic, scalable capital and expertise, which can help them navigate the current climate where they currently find themselves in European football.
Valuations continue to rise, albeit at a slower rate, and there are a number of sports specific funds ready to get involved in the Premier League and European football in 2023 and beyond. For FSG it will be a case of who makes the best bedfellow and who can help them deliver the best results on and off the pitch, with those two things intrinsically linked for FSG at Liverpool.
The stance that they aren't looking to sell the Red Sox doesn't really offer any clues as to what the end game is for Liverpool. FSG have been vocal for some time that they are in 'growth mode' and that adding more sporting assets to their portfolio is at the top of their agenda, most notably in the NBA.
But there is no rush or immediate need to find capital for such projects, with the likely $4bn that would be needed to get an NBA expansion franchise, likely in Las Vegas, not something that will be a major consideration until such time that the NBA confirm it, and before that happens a number of hurdles have to be jumped, including a new collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and its players and then a new media deal, as well as having to appease the current 30 team owners.
The NFL is a something that FSG have been linked with, but with valuations averaging around $5bn-plus and, crucially, there being a ban on private equity or institutional investment being part of ownership groups in America's biggest sporting league, something that FSG have through investments from the likes of RedBird Capital Partners and Arctos Sports Partners, means that they won't be making a play for it as a collective anytime soon. Henry and Werner could as individuals, but with FSG wanting to grow it is highly unlikely that would be a manoeuvre that would be made.
While there has been interest in Liverpool, whose sale/investment is being led by Jurgen Klopp's most key FSG ally, Mike Gordon, sources have told the ECHO that there has been "nothing real" that has arrived and no high level talks have been taking place with interested parties as yet.
READ NEXT:
Moises Caicedo fuels Liverpool transfer speculation after social media 'like'
Liverpool might be forced to review Diogo Jota demands as injury return date draws nearer
Man City and Arsenal fans can't complain as Liverpool cup draw disadvantage becomes clear
FSG insiders have hinted at two long-term targets that will impact Liverpool sale
FSG ignored Carlo Ancelotti warning and Liverpool are now paying the price
