Numerous reports have surfaced since FSG put Liverpool up for sale, connecting the team to virtually every billionaire under the sun. Before the PSG owners entered the picture, it was only a matter of time.
Indeed, according to Bloomberg, either a full buyout or a partial stake in Liverpool is being “considered” by Qatari Sports Investments (QSI). It has even reached the point of speaking with Spurs and is open to a deal involving Manchester United.
It is unclear how exactly such a contract would operate. If QSI is serious about acquiring any of the three English clubs, they will rapidly run into the obstacle of owning several teams in the same European championship, which is prohibited.
If QSI’s interest in any of the three English clubs is serious, they will quickly come up against the barrier of owning more than one team in the same European competition, something that is not allowed under UEFA rules, so there is plenty that would need to be ironed out.
But regardless of whether QSI or someone else is interested in a piece of the Liverpool pie, there are undoubtedly many extremely wealthy parties. And if FSG is now not exactly the most well-liked team among fans, a look at PSG offers a word of caution.
There aren’t many places where the money pots are as limitless as they are at PSG. Despite being signed in 2017, the transfers for Neymar and Kylian Mbappé still rank as the two most expensive of all time. Even if the market has grown significantly since then, which is not totally coincidence, those two milestones have not been surpassed.
For good measure, PSG added Lionel Messi in the summer of 2021. Although he was a “free” transfer, it took a huge payment to entice him to Paris.
According to DW, QSI is a division of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund. For Liverpool supporters, who have spent years protesting anything resembling state ownership, this presents a conundrum.
But even if we set this conundrum to the side, how successful are PSG on the field? They obviously have a relatively tight grip on Ligue 1, the fifth-largest division in Europe. The Champions League, however, has remained elusive. It is the crowning achievement.
Messi has not yet been able to change the fact that Neymar and Mbappé were unable to lead the team to success in Europe. PSG has been accused of “sports-washing,” but it’s difficult to say if their owners still value their brand at this time given that they consistently manage to make headlines for the wrong reasons.
FSG has, meanwhile, guided Liverpool to three Champions League finals in five seasons, with one of those finals being a victory. Their business strategy undoubtedly has its drawbacks, and it is acceptable for supporters to feel disappointed by the lack of investment, but the success speaks for itself.
New owners from the upper echelons of the mega-rich cannot ensure Liverpool further victories, regardless of the source of the money. Even the maintenance of the existing level of achievement is not guaranteed. Even if Messi and Neymar made Anfield their preferred destination, there would still be several challenges standing in the way of success.
Building a strong team has always been something that FSG excels at. They have deftly recognized and satisfied needs both on the field and in the backroom. Although that process has recently stumbled and it may be argued that the American owners are a little more tolerant of a boom-and-bust cycle than the fans, at least Liverpool has experienced the pinnacle high that PSG has not yet (and Manchester City) still craves.
So before fans demand that FSG sell up to the highest bidder, it might be wise to take a look at Neymar, Messi, and the rest of them. Even though Liverpool needs a new owner, the next person’s business acumen will prevail over their financial resources.