Saudi prince mulling Liverpool investment

Prince Faisal, a member of Saudi Arabia’s royal family, is contemplating an investment in Liverpool that could go as far as a full buyout of the club, according to the head of his investment vehicle, F6.

Liverpool’s American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, have confirmed they are looking for new investors and Faisal is considering buying a shareholding that “could go from anything from nought to 100 percent,” Barry Didato was quoted as saying by the BBC.

Didato stressed however that the Saudi prince has concerns over the apparently strained relationship between Hicks and Gillett, and the level of debt Liverpool has acquired since they took over the club in February 2007.

Prince Faisal — or Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud — has only held talks with Gillett to date and has established a “chemistry and shared vision,” between them, Didato was quoted as saying.

He stressed however that his boss had concern over the level of Liverpool’s debts, which totalled 350 million pounds earlier this year when auditors warned that they posed a threat to the club’s future as a going concern.

Didato said: “The debt has to be at a manageable level before Prince Faisal would invest and the current level is high.

“He cannot be looked to as someone who is going to clean up the balance sheet – Gillett has to deal with this.”

Liverpool’s debts were largely incurred as a result of Hicks and Gillett borrowing money to fund their takeover and have proved increasingly expensive to service as a result of the credit crunch.

The owners have been forced to indefinitely postpone plans to construct a new 60,000-seat stadium near to Liverpool’s current home at Anfield.