MUMBAI: The names keep changing of Premier League clubs that Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, is reportedly looking to buy. After reported interest in Manchester United and later Liverpool ended up a dead end street, the name of London club Arsenal FC is now doing the rounds.
“Ambani’s son Akash, 31, is, reported to be a big Arsenal fan and The Athletic has been told by sources who have to remain anonymous to protect business interests that the London club is the one the family would go for if they did enter the football world,” The Athletic reported Monday.
UK's The Mirror claimed last month that Ambani was considering a bid for Liverpool, with owners FSG reportedly seeking around £4 billion for the club. The report was quickly shot down by Reliance as "fake".
Amazon enters race for Manchester United?
Meanwhile, Amazon have become the latest company to be credited with an interest in purchasing Manchester United - even though the club's $7.5 billion asking price has been labelled "unrealistic".
The Raine Group, an investment banking firm appointed as United's exclusive financial advisors, have set a revised asking price of around $7.5bn for the club - far less than the $11bn that the Glazers were hoping to rake in by selling the Premier League giants.
According to The Athletic, Amazon have emerged as a potential buyer for Manchester United. The American technology giant currently holds Premier League broadcasting rights worth £30m-a-year ($37m). Expectedly, Amazon "declined to comment on rumour and speculation" linking them with the club.
Football Benchmark, a data and analytics platform, ranks Manchester United as the second most valuable football team on the planet, only behind Real Madrid - but their valuation of the club stands at a far more conservative $3bn.
"The gap between the rumoured transaction price and the theoretical value of Manchester United FC appears enormous," Football Benchmark chief executive Andrea Sartori opined.
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