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NESV to walk if Liverpool go into administration
If deal is not done by Friday, Liverpool could lose nine points and NESV will end their interest
New England Sports Ventures (NESV) have threatened to walk away from their proposed takeover of Liverpool if the club are docked nine points as a result of administration.
Much to the chagrin of Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, chairman Martin Broughton is seeking High Court approval for the sale to NESV, with a hearing set to take place on Tuesday.
If the court endorses Broughton's right to sell the troubled football club, NESV will go through with the deal, however, the threat of administration is regarded as a deal-breaker by kingpin John W Henry.
If Hicks and Gillett are successful blocking the sale of the club, or if it is delayed beyond the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) deadline on Friday, RBS may place holding company Kop Holdings into administration to release the money owed to them.
Because the club is the only asset of Kop Holdings, the Premier League would then be likely to deduct nine points from the Merseysiders, leaving the Reds, who are already in the relegation zone after seven games, at the foot of the table with minus three points.
To further cloud the waters, John W Henry and his advisers are said to be frustrated by reports that they are not the only serious bidders for the club, after learning there has been another bid from Asia.
But Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow is still confident the deal with NESV will go through.
"I am completely focused on making sure the sale completes. I'm not contemplating administration and nobody should be," he said. ·
