Jeff Bezos is on the verge of a historic deal: a consortium of billionaires is vying for 30% of Liverpool.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, whose net worth is estimated at over $280 billion, has come close to acquiring a significant stake in the English football club Liverpool. The deal involves a share package exceeding 30%, which would make it one of the largest transactions in the history of global sports. Based on my estimates, the total value of the club under this deal will be around $6 billion.
A consortium with big names
The deal is structured through an investment consortium managed by Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal. The group also includes Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook with a net worth of over $32 billion. Notably, Saverin had previously attempted to enter English football, but his bid to acquire Chelsea in 2022 was unsuccessful.
Liverpool's current owner is Fenway Sports Group (FSG), which acquired the club in 2010 for just £300 million. Since then, the value of the asset has grown 20-fold. In 2023, Dynasty Equity already purchased a minority stake, valuing the club at $4.5 billion, making the current valuation of $6 billion a logical continuation of that growth.
Market context
Amazon shares closed on Friday at $274.48, up 0.82% for the day. Over the year, the stock has risen 24.2%, and since the start of January, it has gained 18.65%. The company's market capitalization surpassed $3 trillion for the first time on August 3, but that level could not be sustained—Amazon is now valued at approximately $2.96 trillion. Optimistic analyst forecasts, supported by growth in the AWS cloud business, suggest a target price of up to $400 per share.
Interestingly, Bezos has not previously shown public interest in football assets. His entry into this market is a clear signal that the largest capitals are viewing sports clubs as an independent asset class. At the same time, Bezos completed a planned sale of Amazon shares worth $4 billion this month, which may be linked to preparations for this deal.
My analysis: Given that Liverpool is going through a transitional period—a change of manager, the loss of Mo Salah, and a fifth-place finish last season after winning the title—the arrival of such investors could be both a breath of fresh air and the beginning of a struggle for full control. The question remains: will the new partners be passive observers or will they begin an active fight for control of the club. In the coming days, the situation will become clearer.