The fourth-richest man in the world is attempting to buy a stake in Liverpool, but supporters are approaching the news with considerable caution.
Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder with a personal fortune of approximately $257bn according to Forbes, is part of a consortium in advanced talks to purchase a 30% stake in the club.
Liverpool recorded record revenues of £703m last year, yet Bezos is personally worth around 270 times that staggering figure.
Fans still scarred by the Tom Hicks and George Gillette era are unwilling to embrace the potential investment without far greater transparency about the group’s long-term intentions.
When Fenway Sports Group bought Liverpool for £300m in 2010, CEO Billy Hogan said the club were “literally on the brink of bankruptcy”, making FSG’s subsequent turnaround all the more remarkable.
FSG have since facilitated intra-group loans of approximately £218m, bringing their total outlay to around £518m over sixteen years of ownership.
The proposed sale of a 30% stake would see FSG receive £1.35bn, with the club now valued at £4.5bn, some thirteen times what it was worth in 2010.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told BBC Sport: “It’s a great deal for FSG. They generate more than £1bn from the deal and still keep control – this represents the best of both worlds.”
Maguire also cautioned that despite the enormous sums involved, Premier League Squad Cost Ratio financial rules mean Liverpool fans should not expect significantly increased spending in the transfer market.
“The deal could be a straight share sale by FSG to the new group, in which case there would be no financial implications for the club itself,” Maguire added.
Bezos stepped down as Amazon CEO five years ago but remains one of the company’s largest shareholders, also owning aerospace firm Blue Origin, the Washington Post, and AI company Prometheus.
He had previously been linked with American franchises including the Seattle Seahawks, sold for £7.3bn, and the Washington Commanders, which fetched £4.6bn in 2023.
Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, reported to be worth $32bn, is also part of the consortium alongside Amit Bhatia, who relinquished his stake in Queens Park Rangers on 21 July.
Football Association regulations prohibit having a substantial interest in more than one club, and the timing of Bhatia’s departure from QPR appears to confirm his involvement in the Liverpool deal.
Maguire believes a full acquisition could eventually follow if the minority investment proves successful, saying: “If Bezos et al like the kudos and attention that part owning as big a brand as Liverpool brings, then a full acquisition becomes a possibility, if the price is right.”
Fans’ group Spirit of Shankly has raised pointed questions about the deal, asking publicly what level of board involvement the consortium would receive in exchange for their 30% stake.
“And of huge importance, what due diligence is being done on the potential consortium of investors?” a Spirit of Shankly spokesperson told BBC Sport. “Does this potential consortium have the best interests of the club at the forefront or is it a ‘trophy’ buy?”
Amazon’s treatment of workers has also drawn scrutiny, with a 2020 Trades Union Congress report highlighting “long, gruelling shifts with unreasonable productivity targets and unfair shift patterns.”
Liverpool season ticket holder and Late Challenge LFC podcast host Gareth Roberts told BBC Sport: “How Amazon have treated unions and workers isn’t particularly palatable. Is he simply going to ramp up the name of Liverpool in order to make as much money as possible?”
Roberts added: “They put Liverpool in dire straits, in a financially unsustainable position. We want the club to be run well, we want the club to be run sustainably and we want people to care about it and to care about the fans. It’s as simple as that.”
