As Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group mull their long-term future with the Reds, the challenges facing them in a changing Premier League landscape have become more apparent.
Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp and Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe recently traded a brief back and forth over Klopp's initial claim that the ownership of the Magpies was something that meant that they had 'no ceiling', a comment that was refuted by Howe when pressed on the stance of the Liverpool manager.
Newcastle, who have been excellent under Howe so far in the Premier League and occupy third place with just one defeat in 14, ironically against Liverpool, have been placed alongside the likes of Manchester City when it comes to the money at their disposal to compete.
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City's takeover by the Abu Dhabi-based City Football Group and Sheikh Mansour back in 2008 changed the face of the English game, the Middle Eastern ownership group able to invest heavily to bridge the gap between themselves and the biggest clubs before the arrival of Financial Fair Play regulations in 2011.
City have gone on to be the dominant force domestically over the past decade and with Newcastle taken over by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) worth over £300bn, it is anticipated that the Magpies will become the next team to shake up the highest echelons of English football's top tier.
Further evidence of the plan to turn Newcastle from also rans into bona fide challengers can be seen by the decision of PIF to invest a further £70.4m into the club for infrastructure plans and day-to-day operations. It takes the level of investment in the club up to £450m since PIF arrived last year.
The capital injection has been earmarked for infrastructure redevelopment, something that does not count towards UEFA's FFP rules or the Premier League's profit and sustainability (P&S) regulations, with the funds not set to be spent in the transfer market.
But the continued plans to advance all aspects of the club through capital injections from the wealthiest owners in world football, allied with their ability to spend heavily in the transfer market through both wealth available and the P&S room that they have to manoeuvre due to them acquiring a club with a healthy balance sheet, means that the challenge for the likes of Liverpool to remain at the vanguard grows more difficult.
Growing commercial revenues was a vital part of Manchester City's infrastructure development, something that has seen them able to leverage their simpatico relationship with the MENA region and grow commercial revenues to £309m, the highest in the Premier League and £91m higher than Liverpool managed last year despite City having a smaller global fanbase.
Newcastle's capital injection will have growing those facets of the business as a part of it, with the need to be able to sustain heavy spend a requirement if they are to be serious about being consistent challengers for honours.
Darren Eales, CEO of Newcastle, said in a statement: "We are at the beginning of a long-term plan that aims to build a club that can compete consistently at the highest levels of English and European football.
"We need to develop the whole business, as well as the playing squad. And we need to do so while adhering to the Financial Fair Play rules. This additional investment further enables us to continue implementing the business plan."
Newcastle's statement also announced that there would be further investment to follow, a clear sign of the continued battle that faces the likes of FSG at Liverpool.
FSG have been looking for minority investors for some time but, as first reported by the Athletic on Monday, had kicked the door open to any expressions of interest in a full takeover, the club worth around £3.6bn according to Forbes magazine's most recent valuation.
The reasons for FSG considering their longer term future at the helm of Liverpool are numerous. Among them the rejection of the European Super League meant that the hope for greater cost certainty that exists in North American sport was denied, while the recent sale of Chelsea for £2.5bn (£4.25bn with investment promise included for infrastructure development) emboldened them to test the market.
But there is also the ongoing battle to keep pace with the spending power that is required year after year in the Premier League, the Reds unable to rely on their player trading model every season. With Newcastle now at the table and wanting to challenge what had been the established order of things, more investment from ownership will continue to make the task a challenging one for FSG, who are on lookout for a capital injection of their own.
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