02 January 2023 , 21:17
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Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville clashed over the future of Liverpool amid the uncertainty of the club’s ownership situation.
Jurgen Klopp’s team fell to a humbling 3-1 defeat at Brentford on Monday evening as their four-game winning run in the Premier League came to an end with their increasingly faint title hopes and top four ambitions suffering a fresh blow.
Carragher and Neville were at odds as the post-match conversation moved onto the future of Liverpool. It comes after the news that the club’s Fenway Sports Group (FSG) ownership are looking to sell the Premier League giants.
It's believed FSG have asked Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to assist with the sale. It's unclear at this stage how many parties are interested in buying the Reds or when a deal is likely to be done, although we do know how much FSG want - £4billion.
As revealed by Mirror Football, FSG rejected a huge £3billion bid to buy the club in April 2021. It's understood that offer came from the Middle East, with other parties keeping a close eye on the situation in case principal owner John W. Henry changed his mind.
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Neville began the exchange by stating: "The biggest thing for Liverpool is keeping Jurgen Klopp and getting new owners." This was swiftly combatted by Carragher, who replied: "They don't need new owners. They have won absolutely everything you could win by being smart."
Carragher and Neville's conversation over Liverpool's ownership situation become heated (Sky Sports)Have Your Say! Will Liverpool miss out on a top four spot this season? Tell us what you think here.
Neville was left shocked by Carragher’s response, staring at the camera with a raised eyebrow before interrupting his fellow pundit to clarify the current position of Liverpool’s owners: "They are selling the club! They are selling the club!"
Carragher then responded to Neville’s interjection by adding: "But even if they don't go, they have won absolutely everything by being clever in the transfer market, not just blowing money like your club - that's absolute nonsense."
That led an exasperated Neville to respond, in a statement that ultimately concluded the discussion as the programme was running out of time: "What are you going on about? They are selling the club, I said they need the right new owners..."
FSG sold an 11 per cent stake of the six-time European champions to RedBird Capital Partners in 2020 for £655million. Liverpool fans may be concerned about their desire to sell, as they have overseen one of the most successful eras in the club's history.
Henry and his colleagues purchased Liverpool from unpopular owners George Gillet Jr and Tom Hicks for just £300m in October 2010. At the time, the Reds were struggling under Roy Hodgson and were a long way from winning a 19th league title.
Yet Liverpool have become a success again. Jurgen Klopp was appointed as manager in October 2015 and they've since won the Premier League title, Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Club World Cup, European Super Cup and Community Shield.