A consortium led by British-Indian businessman Amit Bhatia and including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is close to acquiring a roughly 30% stake in Liverpool FC, a deal that would value the Premier League club at about $5.9 billion and rank among the largest football club valuations on record.
The investor group, which also includes Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, is set to pay in the region of £1.35 billion for almost a third of the club, according to The Guardian. The deal is effectively agreed but may take up to a month to complete, the newspaper reported on Monday. Sky News reported that the consortium is being led by Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, who had been a director and co-owner of Queens Park Rangers for 18 years before relinquishing his stake in the second-tier club last month. Fenway Sports Group, which bought Liverpool in 2010 for £300 million, confirmed last month that the consortium had “expressed interest in making a strategic minority investment in Liverpool Football Club.”
The reported valuation of approximately £4.4 billion ($5.9 billion) would mark a dramatic increase in the club’s worth over FSG’s 16-year ownership. FSG has explored outside investment in recent years while retaining control of the club. The ownership group previously sold a minority stake to global sports investment firm Dynasty Equity in 2023, with The Guardian reporting that the earlier sale involved about three percent of the club. FSG has overseen an era that included two Premier League titles.
For Bezos, the investment would represent his first foray into football ownership. The 62-year-old, who stepped down as Amazon’s chief executive in 2021 to become executive chairman and still owns eight percent of the e-commerce giant, has previously explored bids for NFL franchises. He was linked with a takeover of the Washington Commanders in 2023 after owner Daniel Snyder put the team up for sale, and he also explored the possibility of buying Super Bowl winners the Seattle Seahawks. He decided against submitting an offer for either franchise.
Bezos’s personal fortune varies in estimates across outlets. Al Jazeera, citing Forbes, reported his wealth at more than $280 billion, while the BBC put his net worth at $256 billion and The Guardian reported approximately $257 billion. All three rank him among the world’s wealthiest individuals, with the BBC and The Guardian placing him fourth globally. He was ranked as the world’s richest person in 2021. Saverin’s wealth was reported at $33 billion by Al Jazeera and $32 billion by The Guardian.
A club in transition
The potential deal arrives during a summer of significant change at Anfield. Liverpool won the Premier League title in 2025, one of two league titles secured under FSG’s ownership, but the club is now entering a period of transition. Manager Arne Slot departed. Andoni Iraola replaced him as head coach. Forward Mohamed Salah left on a free transfer and has since joined Trabzonspor. Michael Edwards, who was widely credited with helping build the squad that won Liverpool’s first English league title in 30 years in 2020, left his role as chief executive officer of football at FSG in July.
Bezos’s entry into football aligns with Amazon’s broader expansion into sports broadcasting. Under his leadership, the online retailer diversified as an entertainment provider and acquired numerous sports rights for its streaming service. Amazon held live UK rights for 20 Premier League games each season for six seasons until the end of last year. The company broadcasts the Champions League in several European countries, as well as NFL games in the US.
Deloitte has advised on the deal, according to The Guardian, and Bezos will receive equity as part of the transaction. BBC Sport has been told that the consortium has advanced its talks to buy about a 30% stake in the club. Neither Liverpool nor FSG immediately commented on the reports when contacted by Al Jazeera, and The Guardian said FSG had been approached for comment. The deal, if completed, would add Liverpool to a portfolio of Bezos holdings that includes The Washington Post and aerospace company Blue Origin.