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The Dubai International Capital (United Arab Emirates) Consortium officially announced that it has decided to abandon the idea of buying the team. According to unofficial reports, the reason for this decision is the "double" negotiations of Liverpool.
The investment consortium DIC is controlled by Dubai Holding, which belongs to Dubai's prince and UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. Sheikh Mohammed, whose family is also involved in horse racing, is considered the fifth richest person in the world. His wealth is estimated at $10 billion.
DIC offered £450 million to the English, and the largest Liverpool shareholder, David Moores, had already given verbal consent.
However, everything changed – it is believed that the Arabs, upon learning that Liverpool wanted more time to consider a possible new proposal from American George Gillett, owner of the ice hockey club Montreal Canadiens (the American previously tried to buy the Reds team last year), withdrew from further negotiations.
It is said that the American's offer is more profitable – both for the club and for David Moores himself (if he accepts Gillett's offer, he would receive £8 million more than from DIC).
"It was very regrettable to abandon these plans, but we are not going to overpay. DIC is a serious investor with significant resources. We made a financial proposal, taking into account all the club's requirements, we were prepared to pay solid bonuses to shareholders, at market prices," said one of DIC's leaders, Sameeras Al Ansari.
"But we continue to be fans of Liverpool. We hope that the vision of the new owners will not differ from ours, a new stadium will be built. It is absolutely necessary in order to continue competing at the highest level in both the English Championship and the Champions League," shared S. Al Ansari.
It is worth noting that DIC planned to invest £200 million in a new 60,000-seat Liverpool stadium, which was supposed to be completed by 2009.
Liverpool has rejected two takeover offers in the past two years. "No" was said to Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra two years ago, and last year to Robert Kraft, owner of the American football team New England Patriot.
