Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani is reviving his interest in buying Liverpool, 12 years after a failed takeover bid.
Mirror Sport exclusively revealed that the Reds have been approached by the eighth-richest man in the world, with the club's FSG owners open to selling up.
They are understood to be willing to sell for £4billion and that would not be an issue for Ambani, who has a net worth of around £90bn, although he is likely to face huge competition. It is not the first time Ambani has been linked with Liverpool though, after eyeing a takeover bid in 2010 before Fenway Sports Group (FSG) purchased the Premier League side.
Ambani and fellow Indian tycoon Subrata Roy were lining up a bid to purchase 51 per cent of the club's stake from former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
The Times reported discussions had been held at the end of 2009 with Roy in particular having a serious interest. At the time, a spokesperson for Ambani denied the interest, as did ex-chief executive Christian Purslow, with FSG going on to buy the club in October 2010.
Ambani currently owns IPL cricket giants Mumbai Indians and also played a key role in setting up the Super League in his home country.
He is also the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries while maintaining a keen interest in sport, both in his homeland and in the UK.
Ambani has a wife and three children and his family live in a private 27-storey building in Mumbai which was one of the most expensive residences in the world when it was built. It requires 600 staff to function and includes three helipads, a 160-car garage, private cinema and swimming pool.
In August Bloomberg reported that Ambani had bought a $80m (£67m) beach-side villa on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.
Ambani’s younger brother, Anil Ambani, has twice flirted with buying Newcastle – first in 2008 and again in 2011. A £260m bid in 2008 never materialised, with negotiations with Mike Ashley fizzling out, while another in March 2011 never got going.
He won't have it all his own way though with Liverpool receiving interest from Dubai, Bahrain and the USA hardens which is great news for FSG co-founder John W Henry and his associates as they consider their options.
Fenway employed investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to test the water over possible investment in the club or a complete takeover with interest from parties likely to be stepped up in the new year.
