RedBird Capital have pulled out of a £500m deal to buy the Telegraph Newspaper Group
John Henry brought RedBird Capital on board with FSG in 2021
John Henry brought RedBird Capital on board with FSG in 2021
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RedBird Capital, who possess a minority stake in Liverpool Football Club owners Fenway Sports Group, has pulled out of a roughly £500 million deal to buy the Telegraph newspaper group.
It is the latest twist in a tumultuous two-year takeover process for the 170-year-old newspaper business.
A spokesman for RedBird Capital said: “RedBird has today withdrawn its bid for the Telegraph Media Group.
“We remain fully confident that the Telegraph and its world-class team have a bright future ahead of them and we will work hard to help secure a solution which is in the best interests of employees and readers.”
The news throws the future of the Telegraph's daily and Sunday newspaper titles into uncertainty, and comes after RedBird - founded by Gerry Cardinale - had come under intense scrutiny following alleged links with China.
RedBird acquired a stake in FSG for around £533m in 2021, with the deal seen as crucial to boosting Liverpool's revenues following the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and which also saw basketball superstar LeBron James, businessman Maverick Carter and the pair's business partner Paul Wachter become part of FSG.
In a statement at the time, FSG's John W Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon said: “Our strategic partnership with Gerry and the entire team at RedBird will enhance our ability to pursue future growth opportunities in a more accelerated way but with the same selectiveness that has served us so well.
“We are also pleased to welcome to our ownership group LeBron, Maverick and Paul, with whom we have enjoyed a successful collaboration for well over a decade. Their addition is an important milestone for FSG and expands and deepens a longtime friendship and relationship that began in 2010.
“To our fans and supporters: winning continues to be the driving force for all of us. The growth of FSG as an organisation allows us to further strengthen our resources and commitment to the communities we serve, and we look forward to having these talented new partners join us in the next chapter of FSG’s evolution.”
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