With a little help from his friends, it looks like American billionaire George Gillett Jr. will soon complete the takeover Liverpool FC for a package totaling $934.2 million-at least $30 million higher than the amount Dubai International Capital was believed to have offered. On Thursday, it was announced that Tom Hicks, owner of MLB’s Texas Rangers and the NHL’s Dallas Stars (a rival franchise to Gillett’s Montreal Canadians) would back Gillett in his bid to take over the English Premier League club. The Times says the pair would commit $423 million to the building of a new stadium in Stanley Park and $157 million to paying off the club’s debts. The rest would be distributed amongst the club’s shareholders. Both Hicks and Gillett are expected to arrive in Liverpool on Monday to announce the details of their offer.
Gillett, by the way, submitted a bid for the club that was rejected in December, just as talks were believed to be advancing towards a probable takeover. Aside from coming back with a bigger offer, Gillett’s partner, Hicks brings, with him extensive experience in construction and stadium development-an attractive prospect for Liverpool, which is anxious to start building its new 60,000-seat capacity home next month. The pair would become the third American owners in the league after Randy Lerner bought Aston Villa last August, and Malcolm Glazer and family took over Manchester United in 2005.