Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool manager welcomes Fenway Sports Group’s decision to seek new investors

Jurgen Klopp has welcomed this week’s announcement by Liverpool owner Fenway Sports Group that the club is open to new investors.

FSG, who bought the club in a deal worth around £300m in October 2010, are believed to be considering a sale although they would prefer to attract new investors by selling a minority stake.

Sky News reports Liverpool’s American owners have asked Goldmann Sachs and Morgan Stanley to gauge the buyer’s interest and the banks are expected to hear from any of the shortlisted bidders who missed out on buying Chelsea are interested in investing in the Merseyside club.

Klopp refused to be drawn on whether FSG want to sell Liverpool, but reaffirmed his commitment to the club regardless of what changes may happen in the ownership hierarchy.

“Everyone he said [Liverpool owner John W.Henry] want to sell the club, what I read is that we are looking for investors. It makes sense, I like it!” said Klopp after Liverpool’s Carabao Cup win over Derby County.

“For me it doesn’t matter. Whatever happens – I really like the way I work together with our owners – but if that were to change, I’m committed to the club.

“As far as I know, we’re looking for investors and I thought it made sense. For me, while this process is going on, it’s important that we just go ahead and plan.

“These things take time and I’m not an expert on this, but whenever it happens and someone comes in or whatever, things can happen a lot of things in that time. Not just football time, in between as well.

“At the moment nothing has happened. It’s just news, nobody had a heart attack when we saw it. We knew. It’s a decision, it’s good. We work really well together with FSG. It’s a good relationship, nothing will change [on that front].”

What FSG announced this week

Liverpool is principally owned by John W Henry, along with FSG chairman Tom Werner.

FSG admits it is open to accepting new shareholders but has not gone so far as to say the club as a whole is on the market, although it has not definitively ruled it out.

Premier League clubs are rarely officially available for sale as it would affect their value – and a statement from FSG read: “There have been a number of recent ownership changes and rumors of ownership changes at EPL clubs and inevitably we regularly receive inquiries about Fenway Sports Groups ownership in Liverpool.

“FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties wanting to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has previously said that under the right conditions we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.

“FSG remains fully committed to Liverpool’s success, both on and off the pitch.”

Liverpool fan group Spirit of Shankly have written to Liverpool asking for clarification on FSG’s current position.

A statement read: “We have seen reports today that FSG has put Liverpool FC up for sale.

“Spirit of Shankly have written to LFC for clarification and will await a response before commenting. However, we expect both the Supporters Board and SOS to be involved in some part of the process so that supporters are at the heart of every sale and the first the minds of potential owners.”

Carra: There might be something in the sales reports

Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher in the latest episode of The overlap:

“I can imagine there’s something to it. How strong it is in terms of selling out fully or trying to get money into the club I’m not sure. I think FSG have done a fantastic job at the club, and that I don’t I don’t think they have ever proclaimed that they have money from Manchester United, Chelsea or Manchester City.

“They were the owners who brought back the title, the owners who brought in Jurgen Klopp, the stadium has been transformed, the training ground has been transformed. They have almost been a model for clubs like Arsenal.

“I just thought that with so many American owners coming into the league, I thought there was a power play in some way where they could see something in the future given what we’ve seen in American sports, so I thought the owners would be here for a while.

“Maybe they woke up on Monday morning and read about how much Manchester City have made commercially and thought ‘you can’t stop it, can you?!'”