New Gulf link in Liverpool takeover saga

THE billionaire Kuwaiti Al-Kharafi family has denied it is going to buy Liverpool Football Club, but another suitor, also from the Gulf could be poised to strike.

The £600m price tag and the fevered speculation last week about a possible deal is thought to have given the Al-Kharafis cold feet, which could open the door to Dubai International Capital making a fresh move.

Tellingly DIC is advised by the same UK financier, Amanda Staveley, who acted on last August’s takeover of Manchester City by Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Mansour.

DIC has made two previous moves on Liverpool. The investment company’s chief executive, Sameer Al Ansari, a lifelong fan of the club.

Reports this morning suggested that a deal may not take place until the summer, when Liverpool’s American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks have to refinance a £350m loan with the Royal Bank of Scotland.

After a blizzard of publicity last week the al-Karafi family said reports linking them with a bid for Liverpool were “not correct”.