Source: Telegraph
Liverpool takeover: Roy Hodgson 'delighted' by New England Sports Ventures £300m bid
Prospective new Liverpool owners NESV are determined to restore the club's former glories. The America-based group, who have made a success of their takeover of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, agreed the £300m deal on Wednesday. [LNB]However, it is subject to a legal challenge by current owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, who want to block the sale and hold out for a bigger valuation so as not to lose £144m on the deal. [LNB] Related ArticlesLiverpool webchat with Rory SmithHicks vows to fight all the wayHenry relishes numbers gameCarragher's cautious welcome to Liverpool biddersLiverpool suitors make debt pledgeHenry would be 'tremendous' owner for LiverpoolThe remainder of the three-man board, though, led by chairman Martin Broughton, are confident the sale will go through. [LNB]Hodgson said: "It's very positive and of course I'm delighted.[LNB]"It's been going on a long time and I know how hard the board have worked to set things up. [LNB]"I know it's not easy for them because the owners have other ideas in terms of the sale of the club and what is achievable. [LNB]"But I was delighted to hear the news and have it confirmed that it looks like it is going to go through." [LNB]Liverpool co-owner Hicks is determined to fight to hang on to control of the club after refusing to recognise Broughton's authority. [LNB]Broughton, appointed in April to oversee the sale, has revealed that Hicks attempted to sack managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre and install his own people in order to block the deal.[LNB]That, in turn, was blocked by Broughton, who insists Hicks signed agreements not to oppose the sale when they received an extension to their refinancing deal with Royal Bank of Scotland earlier this year. [LNB]Hicks and co-owner George Gillett stand to lose a total of £144m if the NESV deal goes through. [LNB]Hicks' New York-based spokesman, Mark Semer, said that Broughton's claim was disputed by the Americans. [LNB]"There were no such undertakings given to Broughton, the board has been legally reconstituted, and the new board does not approve of this proposed transaction," Semer told Bloomberg News. [LNB]After rejecting the attempted coup, which would have seen Hicks' son Mack and Lori McCuthcheon of Hicks Holdings replace Purslow and Ayre, Broughton continued with the conference call board meeting, even though Hicks had put the phone down. [LNB]The chairman is confident he and the other two England-based members of the board have acted appropriately, but they will not be able to have that confirmed until the issue is thrashed out in court next week.[LNB]
