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Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the Liverpool owners, have signalled that they are ready to sell their stake at Anfield after engaging Merrill Lynch, the investment bank, to find a buyer for the club.
The Americans need to restructure their £350million loan with the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which expires on January 25. However, the bank, at present under public ownership because of the credit crunch, has adopted a policy of restructuring loans only in extremely favourable conditions. While discussions with Gillett and Hicks have not yet opened, their circumstances are not believed to fall into this category. The owners have always denied that the club were available for sale but the latest move signals an acceptance that the American duo's future control is unsustainable.
Although the Liverpool owners denied yesterday that Merrill Lynch has been engaged, The Times understands that auditors looked at Liverpool's books last week with a view to finding a buyer. So far, the search appears to be unsuccessful.
Sheikh Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, has maintained a longstanding interest in acquiring Liverpool but has balked at the price tag set by the American pair, which is upwards of £550 million.
The owners admitted last month that plans for a new stadium in Stanley Park have been put on hold indefinitely. RBS is bracing itself for a campaign of protest by the Spirit of Shankly, a Liverpool supporters' union.
An offer from Dubai of £500million has been on the table for many months, but there has been minimal contact between the Sheikh's representative, Amanda Staveley, and the American camp over the past few months.
Rumours of interest from Robert Kraft have swirled around Anfield in the past few weeks but it is not believed that the owner of the New England Patriots American football team is a viable bidder for Liverpool.
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The one thing you can guarantee on any blog about Liverpool is that it will be invaded by pointless, infantile mancs polluting it with their pointless, infantile comments. Obsessed.
Paul, Liverpool, Liverpool
james allen scottish people also pay their taxes, i like al stubbino's idea i still dont think the owners will sell though
Gregor , glasgow,
When I read the title I thought they were selling the town then I found out it was just the football club....
sandra snarfnit, manchester, UK
I'm a habs fan, and I didn't like Gillett coming in - an Amerian buying my heritage team. But I have to say he has done a terrific job of keeping the tradition and bringing in the right people. He understands and respects what the Montreal Canadiens are to us Quebecers.
Bernie, montreal, canada
as a Montreal Canadiens fan that actually lives in Montreal (@ Jon Iron), we have grown to love them man. He has done more for this team since owning it than ever though possible, so kindly speak for yourself. The team's success right now can be attributed to his smart hands off managing techniques.
jason, montreal, canada
Gillett also ownes the great hockey team the Montreal Canadiens and many of us "Habs" fans wish him out, and a Canadian owner in, so we feel for LIverpool fans. That said Id perfer American ownership over Arab buts club stability is what counts.
jon iron, toronto, canada
So Manchester United have won it three times. Wow! How proud you must be, Mike from Manchester. That's one more than Nottingham Forest. And Ferguson spent in excess of £300 million on players between 1999 and 2008, so his second success came at a very high price indeed. Paisley is still the king.
jim ellis, preston, england
RBS made the loan but don't own LFC, H&G do. RBS can refuse to renew on Jan 25, and ask for repayment.
H&G must find alternative finance. They won't. All RBS can do is put the club into administration to get their money. Now RBS has been nationalised it will not buy LFC.
Bye bye red scousers
Archibald Knox, Liberty, London,
Not yet James, lets see if we get sold, and who we get sold too...!
Gavin, london, UK
Mike from Manchester...... Grow up.
This discussion is about the sale of LFC it is not the time or place to be spouting your hatred.
Annie Lane, Chester, UK
We'll have the taxpayers owning all the football clubs next. Good idea if we can have a say in the number of aliens and the amount of the wages.
Anything to do with RBS is doomed. The RBS actually own the Club,which means that we,the English taxpayers,own it.
james allen, manchester, england
RBS should pull the plug on this club of over inflated egos. The RBS certainly won't be worried about protests from a minority pressure group as the money is too large to care about that. The days of borrowing your way to success are over. Goodbye Liverpool. Next, Man U.
Mark B, Hull, UK
3 times after dominating domestically for 15 years. Laughable mate, really laughable. Bob Paisley won 3 when it was hard! you'll never win 5.
Red, liverpool, uk
I think you'll find that by jan 25 that the club will be owned by rbs. As no-one will want spend £500m on anything let alone overvalued premier league football club
matt, soton, uk
dave .as a mad liverpol fan i cant think of anything better than getting rid of the two americans they have made false promises since the day they came.how rafa has handled the past year as been something to be admired any club in the world would want him. grave mistake ever losing DIC at the start
dave wyatt, chesterfield, england
Anyone who believes that a change of ownership to a middle eastern royal family will provide sanity and stability is deluding themselves. They will be even less interested in fans' opinions than the Americans. The fortunes of the club are now in the lap of the gods.
John, Liverpool,
without killing anyone we won it 3 times.....
mike , manchester,
Shankly was avowed socialist. Sheikh Mohammed is... erm... not. Spirit of Shankly is desperate for him to take over.
Anyone else see the irony here?
SOS have proved themselves to be an effective campaigning group who have galvanised feeling against H&G. Its existence will be unpalatable to DIC.
Nick , Liverpool, UK
Its has been overdue for Gillett and Hicks too sell up. The uncertainy has been a big back drop to the club sanity so prevail and we get back to proper ways.
Get them out and we secure the future of Rafa Benitez, long term then sort out players contracts, wipe out the debts then start work on stadia
Phillip Corry, Kampala, Uganda
"RBS is bracing itself for a campaign of protest by the Spirit of Shankly, a Liverpool supporters' union."
Don't make me laugh! I would have thought that RBS would have bigger concerns than some self appointed gang of internet nerds and park vandals
Rin Hill, LIVERPOOL,
Here's the choice for all us LFC fans worldwide.
Become a rich man's toy where our cash input means nowt.
Stay with zany Yanks who are greedy for our money.
Or buy the club ourselves.
Al Stubbino, Liverpool, UK
Paul, the problem is that it isn't 'your club',it's theirs,they bought it,they own it and for better or worse they can do what they will with it.I know they don't seem to be the most informed duo on the planet but at least they have the sense to listen to the fans in the past, better the devil...?
Elwyn Evans, Penarth, Wales
Hope this gets resolved soon. I did think when the Americans first came in I thought it was a good decision but now I've had enough after 18 months of unsettlement. Its been an absolute joke. Please just leave our club. Get Dubai in and imediately settle contracts on Rafa, Kuyt, Agger!!!
Steve, Garstang,
The facts are Liverpool are riding high in the premiership & until results take a nosedive I for one am not going to criticise anything about the club.
malarky, lebury, england.
i would love liverpool to be sold but if these two greedy money grubbers have missed the boat and get their fingers burnt it would'nt be such a bad thing.
stan howard, liverpool, merseyside
It's about time these 2 muppets did the honourable thing and got as far away from our club as possible and before they go might be an idea to to sign rafa on a new contract
Paul, Warrington,
Cally, You mean we are not unsettled already? Rafa's contract up in the air, kuyt and agger asking for a new contract and not getting a reply, the stadium a day-to-day farce of indecision and illusion and liverpool being run by a chief exec described as a disaster by the buffoon in chief?
Stevie, London,
Sheikh Mohammed is not the crown prince of Dubai. He is the Ruler of Dubai.
And his son Shiekh Hamdan is the Crown Prince who is believed to own Zabeel that wants to buy Charlton.
Is there not a rule against 2 clubs been owned by the same people.
Liverpool fans dont get too excited.
Tee, NY, USA
smoke screen? or is this the beginnig of the end for G&H??
dubz, kidlington, uk
More nonsense.
Should unsettle the club and manager, though.
Well done Tony Evans, you big Red.
Cally, Liverpool,
its over were free!
james, pompey, england