Liverpool’s new co-owner Amit Bhatia has been seen at Anfield for the first time since leading a consortium that bought a £1.65bn minority stake in the club.
Bhatia’s 1892 Holdings completed the investment this month alongside Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. Following the deal, Bhatia became Vice Chairman of Liverpool.
He was pictured in the stands wearing a club tie before Andoni Iraola took charge of his first competitive match at Anfield. Liverpool were due to face Nottingham Forest, with Iraola seeking his first victory as manager after overseeing a dramatic 2-2 draw with Newcastle at St James’ Park the previous weekend.
Bhatia, who was formerly a director and co-owner of Championship club QPR, described his arrival at Liverpool as a source of immense pride for himself, his family and the group of partners involved in the investment.
“It feels incredible,” Bhatia told club media on Friday. “It feels surreal when I hear those words, obviously an incredibly proud moment for myself, for my family, for our partners.
“We’re talking about Liverpool Football Club here, right? I mean, we’re talking about the greatest football club in the world. And so to have the ability to be involved in any capacity is a huge privilege and a huge honour.
“I’m just the biggest admirer of everything that is associated with this football club, whether it’s the history and the culture, the supporters, the journey of this club, the owners in FSG, the management team at Liverpool. There’s just so much to admire, so much to frankly be in awe of.
“And so to have the opportunity at this point in time, to hopefully potentially — I want to just be very clear, subject to all kinds of regulatory approvals that we’re going through the process [of] now — but the simple fact that we’ve been potentially welcomed in by FSG to be part of such an incredible football club, a historic football club, an iconic football club like Liverpool, frankly it’s the stuff of dreams. And it is the greatest honour I think that anybody can have.”
Minority investment remains subject to approval
Bhatia stressed that the transaction was still going through a regulatory process and that Liverpool remained under the ownership and control of Fenway Sports Group (FSG).
“I think again it’s very important to emphasise that we’re going through a regulatory process. That regulatory process is under way and we have to be incredibly respectful of that process.
“So it’s important to say that, number one. Number two, I think it’s important to be very clear that this club remains under the ownership of FSG. FSG are the decision-makers and this is their ownership. They have invited us and we’re very fortunate to be a partner as a minority alongside them.
“And so my involvement really, or our involvement really, would be in any capacity that FSG felt that we could be useful to them. So, subject to regulatory [approval], in any capacity that FSG wants us to be involved, in any way that they think that we can add value for the betterment of the football club, is how we will make ourselves available at all times.”
He said the consortium’s members brought experience from different countries and professional backgrounds, which could allow them to contribute ideas if FSG asked for their input.
“We come from different geographies, we come from different professions, and hopefully with that you bring different experiences and ideas, different thoughts. If we are called upon, if there’s any area that we have this expertise in or that FSG would like to discuss with us, our thoughts or our involvement, we would absolutely be there.
“We believe that the potential for the football club is still vast ahead of us and we have had some discussions with FSG as to those thoughts.
“And hopefully if everything goes well, our association with the club will also be for a very, very long period of time. And so as and when we can see those opportunities and we feel that they’re in the best interests of the football club, as an entire group we’ll come together and try to support in the best way that we think we can.
“And so that’s very exciting to think about, because as I said, the potential is enormous. And we’re very excited to see what the future holds for us in that regard.”
Bhatia is a British-Indian millionaire and former investment banker. His father-in-law, Lakshmi Mittal, is an Indian steel magnate whose estimated net worth is more than £22bn.
