Premier League - Papers: Hicks backs Arab bid

Eurosport - Sun, 11 Oct 12:06:00 2009

Liverpool could be owned by a US-Arab alliance after co-owner Tom Hicks reportedly agreed to let a Saudi prince buy George Gillett's stake in the club.

FOOTBALL 2009-10 Premier League Liverpool Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud - 0

Hicks, who would keep his 50 per cent and stay at Anfield, seems to have been sparring with compatriot Gillett from day one and is keen for someone else to take his $350 million share.

The Sunday Mirror quoted a source close to Hicks as saying: Tom would be open to considering a partnership with someone willing to buy George Gillett's shares.

The prince in question is Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud (pictured). Hicks would be willing for Prince Faisal to step in for Gillett as, unlike the Dubai investment group DIC, he would not marginalise the American's position at the club.

"It is still the case that the sale of any shares in Liverpool FC requires the other partner's consent," the source added. "Tom has made it clear, though, that he still has a long-term commitment to the club."

Rumours are intensifying that David Beckham could return to England after his seemingly watertight loan back to Milan hit a snag.

The News of the World claims that the Rossoneri cannot afford to cover his LA Galaxy contract and are only willing to pay him £40,000 a week as opposed to the £70k basic he currently earns.

That could lead Tottenham, amongst others, to make a move for the England midfielder in November.

Blackburn are ready to splash over £10m on Paris Saint-Germain striker Guillaume Hoarau, the Daily Star reckons.

The leggy target man, 25, hit 17 league goals for PSG last season after joining for a bargain £500,000 from Le Havre. That would represent some profit for the capital club.

The same paper reported that Arsenal scouts watched Bari defensive duo Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Ranoccia in action during the goalless draw with Milan a few weeks back.

The centre halves, 22 and 21 respectively, have helped the promoted side keep their goals-against tally to four in seven Serie A games so far this season.

The News of the World reckons that Spain's favourable tax laws could see a continued emigration of Premier League stars, with Clasico rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona preparing summer swoops for English-based stars.

Madrid are supposedly keen on Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy and will make a £16m bid in June, which they could push forward to as soon as January after Alvaro Arbeloa picked up an injury.

Barcelona, meanwhile, will pounce for troublesome Manchester City forward Robinho.

City are preparing a bid for Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery at the end of the season, which would marginalise Robinho, who has reportedly failed to settle in England.

Jose Enrique's Newcastle hell could be over soon with Sunderland boss Steve Bruce ready to save him from the Championship.

The Daily Star reported that the 23-year-old Spaniard, who cost Toon £6.3m when he joined from Villarreal two years ago, could move to their North East rivals in January after finally adapting to English football.

Notts County director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson could be set to join Sol Campbell in a sensational early exit from the club, according to the News of the World.

Sven's realising the job is not as advertised, a source close to the club allegedly told the paper.

Eriksson had a five-year plan to take County from League Two to the Premier League but is concerned that the strategy is based on non-existent foundations.

County are being investigated after elements of their takeover by Munto Finance did not add up, with supposed key investor Anwar Shafi denying he had anything to do with the club.

Former England defender Campbell walked after playing just one game for County, claiming promises had not been fulfilled.

Eurosport

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  1. post49...if this is what your like with a keyboard,you­ have no chance with a pencil..
    you really must have­ been the pride of the peanut gallery??...

    From walt jabasco, on Mon 12 Oct 9:57AM

  2. 49, I can only watch my mouth in front of a mirror, and­ I know what i am typing not speaking... you cannot read­ words that are verbal.... anyway, its a lot better than­ your bad english which took me a while to understand...­ and what the hell is "aint your teach how to­ talk"? Some spasm you have while fixing up a car­ bomb? What are you going to do? Bomb me with a­ truckload od fertilisers??? Go on then, I'm waiting­ for you...

    Who cares about liverpool finishing top, we­ only care about protecting our English footballing­ heritage with good old pure english blood... so go away­ and eat a pig while you are at it...

    From Sick of it all, on Mon 12 Oct 9:39AM

  3. chelsea,man city,portsmouth,man utd,aston­ villa,liverpool..well english football under
    foreign­ ownership's, has just proved that it has mortgaged­ it's history and pride and
    lifted up it's skirt­ for anyone with a bit of flash,all in the chase of­ champs league
    glory,greedy players&agents and all­ the while chasing that pot of gold at the end of
    the­ rainbow is nothing more than cornflakes"when clubs­ are looking for that 4th place
    has anyone asked if­ it's worth it??is anyone going to say enough is­ enough???

    From walt jabasco, on Mon 12 Oct 9:03AM

  4. bloody hell""another bin in liverpool..

    From walt jabasco, on Mon 12 Oct 8:34AM

  5. post#45..sick of it all,,great hard-core punk­ band'i've got all their cd's..

    From walt jabasco, on Mon 12 Oct 8:32AM

  6. 45. watch your mouth idiot, better know what you are­ speaking in public or aint your teach how to talk, and­ liverpool aren't even gonna finish in the top six,­ its gonna be city villa and tottenham

    From Sada, on Mon 12 Oct 8:25AM

  7. he looks like one of saddam hussein's­ offspring's yossi will be s.hiting bricks..

    From walt jabasco, on Mon 12 Oct 8:18AM

  8. Jealousy is a terrible thing to suffer from boys, time­ to worry now if you hate the reds. The man has a chance­ to control the most successful team in England, January­ could be very interesting for Liverpool fans. Agger and­ Aquilani will be ready for Sunderland and are top­ technical players that we have missed, with a couple­ more in the window it could be game on for Liverpool.­ Build the stadium your highness and let us fans do the­ rest.

    From Tony, on Mon 12 Oct 8:12AM

  9. Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud looks like a­ cancer striken gay douche-bag... with 2 bins in his­ name, that makes him a double barrel douche-bin...haha

    From Sick of it all, on Mon 12 Oct 7:44AM

  10. I wonder if England will sell their monarch to the­ Middle East... No, then why sell your footballing clubs­ to them? Your next head of state will be Sultan Allah­ bin mighty bin @#$% bin f bin u if you ask me.....­ wonder how england will look like with everyone wearing­ a turban and head gear... where's the old­ Englishness in England??? Maybe your PM could be Osama­ and your ruling party could be Tal-iban moslem­ religious party....

    From Sick of it all, on Mon 12 Oct 7:42AM

  11. THE GUY IN THE PICTURE LOOKS LIKE DOUCHE BAG FROM­ IM-SO-RICH-ISTAN... O WAIT... CUZ ITS TRUE

    From rjam87, on Sun 11 Oct 8:35PM

  12. gfgggggg

    From THEATRE OF WET DREAMS, on Sun 11 Oct 8:30PM

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    ALL­ THE HIGH-LIGHTS OF PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES

    From WWW.PREMIERSHIP.ALTERVISTA.ORG, on Sun 11 Oct 8:13PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Cor blimey, what a laugh, someone with the word­ 'Bin' in his name twice is interested in buying­ into Liverpool FC. With 50% each who makes the­ decisions. Now suddenly Liverpool are to get a 72000­ capacity studium. How the hell do Liverpool think­ they'll be able fill 72000 seats every home game?­ you'll be lucky to get 50000 and where the hell is­ Tom Hicks going to find half the money to build a new­ stadium, or are you expecting Prince Faisal bin Fahd­ bin Abdippah al-Saud to buy it for him? Yak! yak! yak!

    From Sid, on Sun 11 Oct 6:40PM

  15. Peter!, you make a very good point, Liverpool can­ really improve financially over the next few years.­ Moores and Parry didn't have a clue, one thing the­ Arabs know is business. Liverpool actually have 2­ planning permits in place now, One is for a 60,000­ seater stadium and the other is for a 72,000 seater. If­ we have the finance we will go immediately to a 72,000­ capacity, we need to improve the infrastructure around­ Anfield to go for the bigger stadium option as part of­ the permit agreement.

    From Tony, on Sun 11 Oct 6:08PM

  16. Whoever buys in will be buying in for one main reason,­ to realise profit in the future, fortunatly the­ Liverpool 'brand' is one of the biggest in the­ world and whilst we have seen the value of the club­ rise significantly in recent years it is still some­ distance off its potential. What I hope is that the­ 'club' is able to realise this ambition for the­ 70,000 stadia but maintain its friendly and warm­ atmosphere (rather than becoming a marketing machine­ more interested in corporate events and shirt sales).­ The prince is a big fan rather than an admirer of the­ reds which is probably the ingredient that was missing­ from Gilletts involvement.

    From Peter L, on Sun 11 Oct 5:32PM

  17. If Ribery were to sign for MC, and Arsenal bolster­ their defence, it is surely going to make a very­ interesting time.

    From timity, on Sun 11 Oct 5:18PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Just another speculative buy.. as almost every year.

    From Half A Brain, on Sun 11 Oct 4:13PM

  19. AYE RITE WE WOULD DEFENITLY BE WAITING ANOTHER 20YEARS­ IF MOURINHO TOOK CHARGE .......... AND THATS A FACT ­ Lfc4life

    From anfieldroad94, on Sun 11 Oct 4:09PM

  20. YEAH DOING SO WELL IN MILAN

    From KOP MANIA, on Sun 11 Oct 4:04PM
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