The Reds are set to benefit from huge financial investment, but Neil Ruddock has struck a word of caution on the playing squad front.
Jeff Bezos (right) is part of a consortium that has invested in Liverpool FC
Jeff Bezos (right) is part of a consortium that has invested in Liverpool FC(Image: AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
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Former Liverpool star Neil Ruddock has warned supporters that the Reds' new investors will not be able to throw money at everything after acquiring a minority stake in the club.
The dynamic of the club's ownership changed dramatically last week when a consortium named 1892 Holdings bought a reported 30 per cent stake from current majority owners Fenway Sports Group for £1.4billion.
Subsequent reports have suggested that the stake is closer to 38 per cent and that the new investors have the option to complete a £6billion takeover in 12 months' time.
But 58-year-old Ruddock, who was signed by Graeme Souness for the Reds in 1993 for £2.5million, has pointed to the plight of Newcastle United and the restrictions of Profit & Sustainability rules (PSR) as an example of how ramping up transfer business with ultra-wealthy investors is not a foregone conclusion.
Speaking to iGaming.com, Ruddock said: "It’s a tricky dynamic. You can be one of the wealthiest men in the world, but under current Profit and Sustainability Rules, you can’t just throw unlimited money around. Look at Newcastle United under Saudi ownership – they have vast resources but face strict spending caps.
"Ultimately, if Liverpool win matches and silverware, fans won't care who holds the purse strings; they just demand success. An owner's popularity only really becomes an issue when the team starts losing.
"It's no longer like the old-school club chairmen who funded everything out of pocket. Bezos is one of the richest men on earth, but spending power is strictly governed now. I don't think supporters will judge him too harshly initially, but what can a figure like that actually improve at a club already operating at the top level? Why do billionaires buy these clubs anyway – is it a status symbol, a toy, or a genuine hobby?
"PSR is a strange landscape – Manchester City faced 115 charges and it drags on. Whether it's Newcastle or Liverpool, any owner wants to make improvements, but the market is constrained. The absolute elite pool of global talent is tiny. If top players become available, they often default to Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Manchester City, leaving Liverpool fourth in line for signature signings. It makes improving a top-tier squad genuinely difficult."
Meanwhile, Liverpool supporters group Spirit of Shankly is planning to speak to the club about the reports that suggested that Amit Bhatia's consortium, which includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, can buy Liverpool FC outright in 12 months for £6billion.