Former Liverpool CEO Peter Moore has suggested that the landmark investment deal involving 1892 Holdings is a clear precursor to Fenway Sports Group (FSG) relinquishing full control of the football club.
Last month, it was confirmed that the 1892 Holdings consortium—led by former Queens Park Rangers director Amit Bhatia—had secured a 38% equity stake in Liverpool. The deal, valued at approximately £2 billion, reportedly includes a significant clause granting the consortium an option to acquire a majority, controlling stake in the club within the next 12 months.
Moore, who served as Liverpool’s chief executive for three years until 2020, believes the structure of the agreement leaves little doubt about the long-term intent. “When an entity comes in at the valuation they apparently have for 38% of the club, there has been a conversation about what ownership then looks like,” Moore said. “You don’t acquire that percentage for billions of dollars without having a path to full ownership.”
While the inclusion of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in the investment group has generated widespread headlines and speculation, Moore moved to downplay the billionaire’s personal role. He dismissed the “Amazon angle” as “silly,” noting that Bezos manages a vast portfolio of investments and has shown no public engagement with the club.
Instead, Moore urged fans to focus on Bhatia. “It’s really Amit Bhatia,” he explained. “To his credit, Amit has been at Queens Park Rangers for 16 years. He’s a football guy, he loves football. A number of friends of mine have met with him over the last few weeks, and he’s a real football guy. He is the person to keep a very close eye on as a future owner.”
Bhatia is set to become Liverpool’s vice-chairman once the deal receives formal regulatory approval, a move that signals a significant shift in the club’s operational hierarchy.
The leadership transition comes at a time of broader strategic change at FSG. The ownership group has stepped back from its ambition of establishing a multi-club model, a strategy that previously saw the return of Michael Edwards as CEO of football. However, following the abandonment of those expansion plans, both Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes have departed the organization.
Moore reflected on the failed multi-club strategy, noting that while the model promises operational synergies and improved player development, it often struggles to justify the massive capital expenditure required to maintain it. “FSG lured Michael Edwards back on the theory that they were going to acquire a club,” Moore told Flashscore. “That’s what he wanted to do, but it hasn’t worked out. FSG are very, very savvy investors, and if they weren’t seeing the upside… they’re going to say it’s not worth their time.”
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