Liverpool takeover: Major announcement to be made in January – Sources
The government will set out its plans for an independent regulator for English football by the end of January in a development which will affect Fenway Sports Group’s attempts to sell Liverpool, sources have told Football Insider.
A white paper, an official proposal for future legislation, is in the works after prime minister Rishi Sunak gave the go-ahead to introduce an autonomous administrative body by the end of next year.
The exact powers the independent regulator will deploy remain undefined, but financial regulation and the introduction of a new owners’ and directors’ test were recommended in April’s Fan-Led Review of Football Governance.
Changes at this structural level would have an impact on how the owners of Liverpool, be that FSG or another group, would be able to run the club in the future.
That would in turn influence the Merseysiders’ market value and potentially reduce the pool of investors willing to take the plunge for a deal which is likely to be worth upwards of £2.75billion on a pro-rata basis.
Two sources have now told Football Insider that after numerous delays the government is keen to begin the often drawn-out legislative process to placate supporters who have been calling for independent regulation.
The imminent white paper will likely form the basis of a bill which will eventually be put to Parliament.
It is also believed that an independent regulator will have a mandate to protect the views of supporters, potentially closing off a game-changing revenue stream for the owners of elite clubs in the form of a Super League relaunch.
FSG were one of the main architects of the breakaway competition last April but aborted the plans after an unprecedented fan backlash.
A source told Football Insider on Wednesday (21 December) that the Boston-based investment firm have not yet abandoned their plans to create a multi-club network with Liverpool at the helm.
That would suggest, as has been reported elsewhere, John Henry and co are now leaning more towards a partial rather than full sale.
In other news, Gabby Agbonlahor backs Enzo Fernandez to “go straight into Liverpool XI” after source’s signing reveal.