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Posts Tagged ‘george-gillett’

• Henry says ‘many obstacles’ in way of preferred option
• Liverpool move to Stanley Park still under consideration

Liverpool’s principal owner, John W Henry, has admitted the preferred option of redeveloping Anfield may not be possible as there are “so many obstacles”.

The issue of whether to leave the club’s home of over 100 years has been a thorny one since it became apparent the new stadium in Stanley Park promised by the former owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, was not going to materialise.

When Fenway Sports Group took control of the club last October they set about reassessing whether Liverpool could remain at a redeveloped Anfield – as their baseball franchise, the Boston Red Sox, had done at their historical home of Fenway Park.

But Henry has accepted there are a number of difficulties, from financial, logistical and geographical points of view, associated with revamping Anfield into a 60,000-plus capacity arena.

“Anfield would certainly be our first choice. But realities may dictate otherwise. So many obstacles …” he wrote on Twitter.

However, a spokesman said: “The club’s position on the stadium issue remains unaltered and no decision has been made. We are continuing to examine both the options – the refurbishment of Anfield and the new stadium in Stanley Park. A huge amount of work on that is ongoing and an announcement will be made in due course.”

LiverpoolJohn W Henryguardian.co.uk

• Midfielder wants a new deal after nine months at Anfield
• Previous owners informally agreed to summer review

Liverpool will be asked to improve Raul Meireles’ contract this summer, less than a year after he joined the club on a four-year deal from Porto.

The Portugal midfielder was signed as a late £11.7m replacement after Javier Mascherano left for Barcelona last summer. Given the uncertainty that surrounded the club under the then-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, there was an informal agreement to review his terms if his first season in English football proved successful.

Meireles has been a regular starter under both Kenny Dalglish and Roy Hodgson, scoring five goals in six games shortly after the managerial change, although he is likely to miss the final game of the season at Aston Villa on Sunday, due to a hamstring injury suffered in the recent 5-2 win at Fulham.

Despite the Liverpool hierarchy being overhauled since his arrival, Meireles’s agent, José Caldiera, expects the informal agreement to be honoured by Fenway Sports Group and the player is keen to extend his stay on Merseyside.

“If I had this opportunity I’d sign a new contract today. [For] 10, 20 years, for sure,” he said recently.

The former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, meanwhile, wants the club’s sports therapist, Ivan Ortega, to join him at Chelsea. Ortega moved to Liverpool from Celta Vigo in 2009 and worked closely with Torres during the Spaniard’s final injury-plagued seasons at Anfield. It is understood the striker has asked Chelsea to offer a position to Ortega as he looks to rediscover the form and fitness that has eluded him since his £50m transfer to Stamford Bridge in January.

LiverpoolAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk

• Hearing scheduled to take place this afternoon
• Follows Tom Hicks and George Gillett’s dramatic intervention

The battle over the future of Liverpool returns to the high court today after its American owners used a court in Dallas to prevent a sale of the club.

Mr Justice Floyd had given a ruling in London yesterday that meant the English directors of Liverpool could agree a £300m takeover by John W Henry’s New England Sports Ventures.

But before the board could make any decision last night, Tom Hicks, one of the American owners, secured a temporary restraining order from a court in Dallas.

Mr Justice Floyd had totally rejected Hicks and George Gillett’s attempts to stand in the way of the sale in a ruling which should have left them helpless to intervene.

Both the Liverpool board and NESV believed a deal could be reached last night but the last ditch intervention by the American owners meant more court action is necessary. The case will go before Mr Justice Floyd again this afternoon, at approximately 2pm.

Liverpoolguardian.co.uk