Jeff Bezos set to invest in Liverpool with £1.35bn stake

Liverpool are on the brink of welcoming one of the world’s richest men into their ownership structure, with Jeff Bezos part of a heavyweight consortium closing in on a 30% stake in the club.

The group, fronted by businessman Amit Bhatia, is expected to pay around £1.35bn for just under a third of the Premier League side, in a deal that would redraw the financial landscape at Anfield. The agreement with Fenway Sports Group (FSG) is understood to be effectively in place, though the final paperwork could take up to a month to complete.

Bezos steps into football

Bezos, the Amazon founder and executive chair, has long circled elite sport from the outside. He has explored moves for NFL franchises and turned Amazon into a major sports broadcaster, but this would be his first direct investment in a football club.

Forbes estimates his personal fortune at about $257bn (£190bn), placing him among the very richest individuals on the planet. As part of the transaction, the 62-year-old will receive equity in Liverpool, in a deal advised on by Deloitte.

He is not coming alone. Bhatia, the son-in-law of Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal and a former shareholder at Queens Park Rangers, is leading the consortium. Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, reportedly worth $32bn, is also involved, adding another layer of financial muscle to a group that signals a new era of global capital at Anfield.

Amazon’s growing footprint in sport

Bezos’ move dovetails with Amazon’s steady push into live sport. Under his leadership, the company has transformed from an online retailer into a major entertainment player, buying up premium rights across multiple markets.

Amazon previously held live UK rights to 20 Premier League matches per season for six campaigns up to the end of last year. It currently broadcasts the Champions League in several European territories and carries NFL coverage in the United States. A direct stake in Liverpool would deepen that relationship between tech money, streaming power and one of football’s most storied clubs.

FSG reshapes the project

FSG, who bought Liverpool in 2010, have presided over a period that has brought the club back to the summit of English and European football, a spell that includes two Premier League titles. They have already tested the waters of partial investment, selling a 3% stake to US private equity firm Dynasty Equity in 2023.

This new deal is on a different scale. A 30% holding at a £1.35bn price point implies a towering valuation for the club and underlines FSG’s willingness to bring in outside capital while retaining overall control. The Boston-based group has been approached for comment.

A summer of upheaval at Anfield

The ownership shake-up comes at a time of significant change on and off the pitch.

Andoni Iraola has taken over as head coach, replacing Arne Slot in the dugout. On the playing side, Liverpool have lost one of their modern icons, with Mohamed Salah leaving on a free transfer before joining Trabzonspor. Within the hierarchy, Michael Edwards has exited his role as chief executive officer at FSG, removing another familiar figure from the structure that helped rebuild the club over the past decade.

Now, a new power bloc is about to walk through the door. Bezos, Bhatia and Saverin bring money, reach and a different kind of influence. The question for Liverpool is simple: how will that power be used in the next phase of the club’s pursuit of domestic and European dominance?