April 12 – Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett (pictured) are set to announce this week that the club is officially up for sale but with the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) extending the deadline on their outstanding loan the need for a rapid “fire” sale has been eased.
Liverpool has outstanding loans of £237 million ($366 million) and its lenders, RBS and American bank Wachovia, had demanded a £100 million ($154 million) repayment by this July.
That deadline is set to be extended by six months and allow Barclays Capital, who have been appointed to find new buyers, the opportunity to get the best deal for Hicks and Gillett.
It was also revealed that the club is set to appoint British Airways chairman Martin Broughton as an independent chairman.
His appointment and that of Barclays Capital are not linked.
Hicks and Gillett bought Liverpool from majority shareholder David Moores in 2007 for £219 million ($338 million).
American private equity fund Rhone Group recently offered £110 million ($170 million) for a 40 per cent stake in the club, but that has been rejected.
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