[nas] Fwd: More on Kraft link to Liverpool FC

Thx to Warren Abao for the info

Begin forwarded message:

> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,277-1412036,00.html
>
>
> December 22, 2004
>
> Liverpool switch their sights to US
> By Oliver Kay
>
>
>
> STEVE MORGAN, the multimillionaire who has spent the past 12 months 
> trying
> to take control of Liverpool, pulled angrily out of negotiations with 
> the
> club yesterday, leaving the L4 Group, backed by one of the richest 
> families
> in the United States, in a strong position to become the next owners of
> Britain's most successful club.
> The Kraft family, owners of the New England Patriots American football
> franchise, are the wealthy backers of the L4 Group, a consortium that 
> was
> established by Stuart Ford and Mike Jefferies, two Hollywood-based
> entertainment executives, and is also thought to be seeking the public
> support of Kenny Dalglish, arguably the greatest player in Liverpool's
> history, in its efforts to buy the club.
>
> Sources indicate that negotiations are still at an early stage, yet the
> signs have been sufficiently encouraging for the Liverpool board to 
> make
> light of yesterday's developments with Morgan, the third largest
> shareholder, who, upon withdrawing his latest £70 million investment
> proposal, accused the club of "using his offer as a stopgap while they
> scour the world looking for a better one".
>
> Reports on Sunday claimed that Liverpool were finally preparing to 
> accept
> Morgan's latest offer, with Rick Parry, the chief executive, quoted as
> saying that "the period for trawling around is coming to an end" and 
> that
> it may be unrealistic to "go on looking indefinitely for the right 
> investor
> to appear". It seems, however, that, contrary to those reports, Parry 
> was
> referring to the L4 Group, rather than to Morgan, founder of the Redrow
> property company.
>
> In a statement yesterday, Morgan's lawyer, Vincent Fairclough, said: 
> "Steve
> has finally lost patience with the Liverpool board. He is no longer
> prepared to be used as a stalking horse.
>
> "At the annual meeting (earlier this month), David Moores (the 
> chairman)
> said it was 'maybe time' to accept Mr Morgan's offer. However, he and 
> the
> Liverpool board have since failed to respond, either positively or
> negatively. Steve has had enough. He has other things to do with his 
> life."
>
> The accusations were denied by Parry, who said that the club could not 
> give
> Morgan a definite answer once it emerged that his rival bidder, the L4
> Group, was serious. "We have received a potentially exciting 
> expression of
> interest which may or may not lead to a firm proposal and we feel duty
> bound to explore this fully," the chief executive said. "While no one 
> wants
> this to drag on, we feel we have to consider all options in a 
> considered
> way. While there are other options, it's up to us to explore them."
>
> The L4 Group has not yet made a firm offer for the club, but 
> negotiations
> between their respective financial advisers, Seymour Pierce Limited and
> Hawkpoint, are continuing. It is hoped that a proposal will be 
> forthcoming
> early next month, although sources indicate that it may take a good 
> while
> longer for Moores to decide whether he is prepared to dilute his 51.46 
> per
> cent shareholding and to relinquish the chairmanship of the club.
>
> Even though his comments at the weekend hinted at a heightened sense of
> urgency, Parry has maintained throughout a difficult year that it is a
> question of finding the right investor rather than the quick fix that
> Morgan said would guarantee "money in the bank by Christmas for Rafael
> Benítez (the manager) to spend on strengthening the squad in the 
> January
> transfer window".
>
> That is now an impossibility, but the club remain confident of 
> agreeing a
> fee of about £6 million for Fernando Morientes, the Real Madrid 
> forward,
> who yesterday expressed his enthusiasm for a move to Merseyside. 
> Benítez
> also hopes to sign a defender, with David Cortes, of Real Mallorca, and
> Pablo Ibáñez, of Atlético Madrid, under consideration.
>
> Everton, meanwhile, have been told that the £12.8 million injection 
> into
> the club by the Fortress Sports Fund has been transferred into the
> investors' bank, but the club's board, anxious at the latest hold up, 
> is
> waiting for written confirmation before making a formal statement on 
> the
> matter. The 14-day extension that Fortress had requested to finalise 
> the
> investment expired on Monday, but Everton remain optimistic that the 
> deal
> will be confirmed this week.

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