John Barnes has backed Liverpool FC owners Fenway Sports Group and believes that any potential investment or sale of the club will only be done with its best interests at heart.
Shockwaves were sent through the football world on Monday when reports emerged suggesting that the Anfield club's owners were prepared to sell up after 12 years of considerable success on Merseyside. A statement from FSG stopped short of signalling an intention to sell their prized asset but confirmed that they were open to investment offers from third parties.
The news has ignited a range of different views on what this could mean for Liverpool and the intentions of their current owners, but Anfield legend Barnes was keen to praise the job that the current custodians have done.
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Speaking exclusively to the ECHO on behalf of bet365, Barnes said: "First of all, it's speculation at the moment. It 'appears to be' [for sale]. Once we know more we can comment on it further.
"But FSG have been fantastic for the club. Since Jurgen (Klopp) has been there they have been supportive in every way. And if they feel that for whatever reason they can't take Liverpool where they want to go - I don't think it's a financial situation. The report only came out on Monday and the statement also said that they're looking for investment without selling the club so what is the situation?
"We do know that they have Liverpool Football Club at heart. As for whether they are looking for investment to help Jurgen to spend or if it's actually for sale, we don't know. But I know that they've been fantastic owners and they will have Liverpool at heart."
FSG bought Liverpool FC for £300million back in 2010 but it would take a major player with billions to spend to be able to purchase the famous club today. That would mean that any potential suitor would likely be similar in wealth to that of the owners of Manchester City and Newcastle United, however Barnes, who won two league titles with the Reds, does not think having a bottomless supply of money is the answer to success in the game, praising the approach the Magpies have taken since their change of ownership.
Barnes said: "Newcastle aren't yet reaping the [full] benefits of it [Saudi ownership] because they haven't spent 100s of millions of pounds. If you look at the players they've signed, they haven't signed players that Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City or Chelsea would have wanted. The fact that the harmony is right there is why Newcastle are doing well. I'm looking at Newcastle's team and it doesn't seem that they have players that cost a lot of money and are on bigger salaries than any of the other big clubs.
"In the future they may [reap the benefits], in terms of the money they may spend, but of course Man City has, as has Barcelona and Bayern Munich. I don't necessarily feel that is the way to get success. The way to get success is to have good players and a good manager, who knows how to spend money wisely, without saying that you have to spend £100million on players and pay them £300-400,000 a week. Jurgen Klopp has had success without doing that. Obviously money helps, but having the right manager and being supportive of what the manager wants is the most important thing. And that's what he has done.
"If you're asking me if someone who has billions of pounds from India or Saudi Arabia takes over Liverpool but they don't spend the money wisely, then that's not going to bring success. Yes, money helps but in the future we don't really know what's going to happen in terms of regulations and financial fair play rules. But I don't think that just having lots of money is the answer to anything. Yes it does help, but more importantly, having the right manager and supporting him. I don't think money is the be all and end all when it comes to football."
Under the ownership of FSG, Liverpool have won almost every trophy on offer to them and ended their 30-year wait for the top flight league title, but the American consortium has been criticised by supporters in some quarters for not backing Klopp enough to evolve his team and keep pace with Manchester City.
But that is not a view shared by Barnes, who made a strong defence of the club's owners.
He added: "When you lose football matches people are going to criticise you. What FSG has done - we've won the league, won the Champions League, lost about four games in three or fours years, so obviously they've been very supportive. Now all of sudden, this year has come, and because of not just injuries, but because of the players we have who have got to a certain age and need to change, things might not be going well. But that is not FSG's fault.
"I don't think Jurgen has been banging the door down to ask for hundreds of millions of pounds to spend. They bought (Darwin) Nunez, they've signed young players in (Fabio) Carvalho and (Luis) Diaz, because they know that's for the future. It's a bit of a transitional period and fans have to understand that.
"Football fans just assume that you have to spend hundreds of millions of pounds. The ones who have criticised them, for me do not understand football and they don't understand what Liverpool are trying to do and the way football should be run."
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