Liverpool‘s new co-owner Amit Bhatia was spotted at Anfield for the first time since leading a consortium in buying a £1.65billion stake in the football club.
Bhatia’s 1892 Holdings this month purchased the minority share in Liverpool, alongside billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as well as Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin.
On Saturday, Bhatia – who became Vice Chairman of the club following the investment – was seen in the stands sporting a club tie ahead of Andoni Iraola’s first competitive match at Anfield.
Iraola oversaw the Reds’ dramatic 2-2 draw with Newcastle at St James’ Park last weekend, and is aiming for his first win in the dugout as the Reds face Nottingham Forest.
Bhatia, who was previously director and co-owner of Championship side QPR, was unable to hide his delight at joining the iconic football club.
‘It feels incredible,’ Bhatia told club media on Friday. ‘It feels surreal when I hear those words, obviously an incredibly proud moment for myself, for my family, for our partners.
Liverpool’s new co-owner was spotted at Anfield for the first time on Saturday afternoon
Amit Bhatia has led a consortium involving Jeff Bezos in purchasing a £1.65billion stake
‘We’re talking about Liverpool Football Club here, right? I mean, we’re talking about the greatest football club in the world. And so to have the ability to be involved in any capacity is a huge privilege and a huge honour.
‘I’m just the biggest admirer of everything that is associated with this football club, whether it’s the history and the culture, the supporters, the journey of this club, the owners in FSG, the management team at Liverpool. There’s just so much to admire, so much to frankly be in awe of.
‘And so to have the opportunity at this point in time, to hopefully potentially — I want to just be very clear, subject to all kinds of regulatory approvals that we’re going through the process [of] now — but the simple fact that we’ve been potentially welcomed in by FSG to be part of such an incredible football club, a historic football club, an iconic football club like Liverpool, frankly it’s the stuff of dreams. And it is the greatest honour I think that anybody can have.’
Bhatia is a British-Indian millionaire who worked as an investment banker. His father-in-law, Lakshmi Mittal, is an Indian steel magnate with an estimated net worth of more than £22billion.
“I think again it’s very important to emphasise that we’re going through a regulatory process. That regulatory process is under way and we have to be incredibly respectful of that process.
“So it’s important to say that, number one. Number two, I think it’s important to be very clear that this club remains under the ownership of FSG. FSG are the decision-makers and this is their ownership. They have invited us and we’re very fortunate to be a partner as a minority alongside them.
“And so my involvement really, or our involvement really, would be in any capacity that FSG felt that we could be useful to them. So, subject to regulatory [approval], in any capacity that FSG wants us to be involved, in any way that they think that we can add value for the betterment of the football club, is how we will make ourselves available at all times.
“We come from different geographies, we come from different professions, and hopefully with that you bring different experiences and ideas, different thoughts. If we are called upon, if there’s any area that we have this expertise in or that FSG would like to discuss with us, our thoughts or our involvement, we would absolutely be there.
“We believe that the potential for the football club is still vast ahead of us and we have had some discussions with FSG as to those thoughts.
“And hopefully if everything goes well, our association with the club will also be for a very, very long period of time. And so as and when we can see those opportunities and we feel that they’re in the best interests of the football club, as an entire group we’ll come together and try to support in the best way that we think we can.
“And so that’s very exciting to think about, because as I said, the potential is enormous. And we’re very excited to see what the future holds for us in that regard.”
