Liverpool Sells 30% Stake to Global Consortium Led by Amit Bhatia
Liverpool have sold a 30% stake to a heavyweight global consortium fronted by Amit Bhatia and backed by Jeff Bezos and Eduardo Saverin, in a deal that values the club at £5.5bn and underlines its status as one of world football’s most powerful institutions.
Fenway Sports Group confirmed on Thursday that 1892 Holdings – named after Liverpool’s founding year – will invest £1.65bn in the club, with Bhatia becoming vice-chair on an expanded board. FSG remain majority owners and in full operational control.
A new power at Anfield
Bhatia, the British-Indian businessman and son-in-law of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, initiated and led the talks with FSG. The former Queens Park Rangers co-owner arrives with serious financial muscle behind him.
The Mittal Family Trust has thrown its weight behind the project. So has K5 Sports, where Bezos is the lead investor, and EE Capital, the family office of Elaine and Eduardo Saverin.
Two of those backers will now be in the Anfield boardroom. Elaine Saverin and Bryan Baum, co-founder and managing partner of K5 Global, will join the Liverpool board alongside Bhatia. Bezos, despite his profile and wealth – the world’s third-richest man at an estimated $272bn – will remain a passive investor and will not take a seat.
Eduardo Saverin, worth an estimated $33bn, and the Mittal family, valued around $17bn, add further financial clout to a group arriving at a club already operating at the sharp end of European football’s economy.
FSG stay in charge – for now
For supporters wary of a quiet exit strategy, FSG are adamant this is not the beginning of the end of their reign. They insist the deal does not oblige them to sell further shares to 1892 Holdings, nor does it force Bhatia’s consortium to increase its stake.
There is, however, a clear path if the landscape shifts. The agreement gives 1892 Holdings options to buy more of the club should FSG ever decide to sell.
FSG, who bought Liverpool for £300m in 2010 after the chaotic Hicks and Gillett era, stress that nothing changes in the day-to-day running of the club. No change in leadership. No change in strategy. No sudden transfer splurge.
The investment is subject to regulatory approval, a process that could take up to 90 days.
Long-term play, global reach
If this is not about plugging financial gaps, what is it about? FSG say the answer lies in who is coming in, not how much they are bringing.
Principal owner John W Henry, chair Tom Werner and president Mike Gordon have spent almost a year getting to know Bhatia. They see the partnership as a gateway to new opportunities in business, technology and investment, with India and Asia central to that vision.
Gordon, who has taken on a more hands-on role again after Michael Edwards left his post as FSG’s chief executive of football, framed the move as another step in a long-term plan.
“Liverpool has always been built by thinking beyond one season and making decisions with the club’s long-term interests in mind,” he said. “That approach continues to attract interest from respected investors and business leaders around the world.
“As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special. Their experience and perspective will complement the strong foundation already in place, and we look forward to working together.”
The message is clear: this is about scale, not a quick fix.
No transfer shockwave – yet
For Andoni Iraola and his squad, nothing dramatic happens overnight. Under Premier League and Uefa rules, spending power is tied to revenue, not just the size of a new investor’s wallet.
So there will be no sudden, regulation-busting transfer spree on the back of Bezos, Bhatia and Saverin’s money. FSG insist Liverpool’s summer transfer budget and strategy are unchanged.
Where this deal bites is on the commercial side. The new partners are expected to open doors in tech, media and emerging markets, helping Liverpool push their already booming revenues higher. The club posted a record £703m in annual revenue for the year ending May 2025. The expectation is that this figure can grow significantly with the reach and networks now attached to the badge.
Bhatia steps into the spotlight
If Bezos and Saverin are the headline names, Bhatia is the one stepping into the footballing spotlight.
He spent almost 19 years involved with QPR, serving as club chair and chair of the community trust before transferring his shareholding in July. That experience, spanning boardroom politics and community work, will now be brought to Anfield.
Speaking on behalf of 1892 Holdings, Bhatia made it clear this is a partnership, not a takeover.
“We are incredibly proud to be investing in Liverpool Football Club and to be doing so alongside FSG,” he said. “We have the utmost respect and admiration for FSG as owners and for everything they have achieved at Anfield.
“To be welcomed as a partner in a club of this stature is a huge privilege. We are making this investment because we believe deeply in Liverpool and its leadership, and we look forward to supporting the club’s continued success for years to come.”
He is expected to be a regular, visible presence at Anfield, far more so than his fellow investors and, in all likelihood, more than some members of FSG.
A new voice, a new power bloc and a new set of global connections have arrived at Liverpool. The ownership model remains the same on paper, but with 30% of the club now in the hands of 1892 Holdings, the next phase of Liverpool’s modern era will be shaped by how this alliance uses its reach in boardrooms far beyond the Kop.
