MUMBAI, Dec 14: Are the Ambanis going to buy Arsenal and not Manchester or
Liverpool?
Reliance Industries Chairman and billionaire Mukesh Ambani is reportedly inclined
towards buying Arsenal football club and not Manchester United or Liverpool
FC as reported earlier, according to Mint.
It is said that Ambani's son Akash Ambani is a fan of Arsenal and that discounted
a likely deal for Manchester or Liverpool.
The Arsenal Football Club is a subsidiary of Arsenal Holdings Limited of KSE
UK Inc. whose owner is E. Stanley Kroenke, an American billionaire businessman.
However, last year the Arsenal director had said, "We have no intention of
selling, I believe we are fit to carry on in our position as custodians of Arsenal.
We were put in a very difficult position by forces outside of the club," following
the European Super League controversy.
The earlier report had said that Ambani is in the race to bid for the English
football club Liverpool FC which has been put up for sale for 4 billion pounds
by owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) and that Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley
have been appointed to manage the sale. The FSG had bought the club in October
2010, the British Mirror newspaper had said in its November 13 issue. FSG is
managed by John Henry and Tom Werner.
A statement from FSG read: "There have been a number of recent changes of ownership
and rumours of changes in ownership at EPL clubs and inevitably, we are asked
regularly about Fenway Sports Group's ownership in Liverpool.
"FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking
to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right
terms and conditions, we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best
interests of Liverpool as a club," it said.
The Ambanis have greatly forayed into sports in India recently. The conglomerate
owns the Indian Premier League (IPL) team, Mumbai Indians.
