Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder and former richest person on the planet, is reportedly mulling over whether to invest in Liverpool Football Club. With a net worth north of $250bn, Bezos could be on the verge of dropping some of his pocket change into the Anfield coffers. This comes as the football world returns to club action after the Geopolitics World Cup, back to the playground of the disgustingly rich, where state-backed investment is common.
Consortium led by Amit Bhatia
Leading the pack of potential investors is Amit Bhatia, who announced his departure from the Queens Park Rangers board this week. Bhatia, whose father-in-law is a steel magnate worth $31bn, is presumably hoping to emulate Raheem Sterling in making a successful switch from Loftus Road to Anfield. Bezos is still reportedly considering whether to join the consortium, weighing his options like a basic pizza order: margherita or pepperoni? Thin crust or thick?
Reminder of football's financial landscape
This developing episode is a reminder of what football is returning to after the World Cup: a field dominated by the ultra-wealthy and state-backed investment. The prospect of someone who thought the Melania movie was good business taking over a grand institution raises questions. As ever, purity in the game is found on the field, not in boardroom machinations.
Mateus Fernandes' stunning volley
On the pitch, Mateus Fernandes delivered a clean hit in a training-ground friendly for Tottenham Hotspur against MK Dons. Collecting the remains of a corner, Fernandes smashed in a volley from outside the area, reminiscent of Paul Scholes' strike against Aston Villa 20 years ago. “It was my favourite goal of my career,” said Fernandes. While Football Daily is a little uncomfortable with a pre-season effort being included in career highlights, it was undoubtedly a cracker.
Quote of the day
“We speak to each other, talk about sights and buildings in our cities, and expect that some day we will be able to return. The club understands how hard things are for young players from these areas, and it’s very happy to give them opportunities,” said LNZ Cherkasy youth coach Alexei Bulgakov, speaking to Nick Ames about their rise from the fourth tier in Ukraine, despite war with Russia, before contesting European qualifiers for the first time.
