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• Liverpool striker desperate to play against first club
• Kuyt injured shoulder attempting overhead kick in training

Dirk Kuyt has not given up hope of making an emotional return to Utrecht later this month despite being ruled out for four weeks with a shoulder injury.

The Liverpool striker is expected to be absent until Blackpool visit Anfield on 3 October after scans revealed the extent of the injury he suffered in training with Holland on Monday. “Dirk has damaged his shoulder at the A-C joint, which is between the collar bone and the shoulder,” said Dr Peter Brukner, Liverpool’s Head of Sports Medicine and Sports Science. “He is likely to be out for four weeks.”

Kuyt’s injury is a serious setback for manager Roy Hodgson, who is scheduled to lose the Dutch international for Premier League games against Birmingham City, Sunderland and Manchester United, a Carling Cup tie with Northampton Town plus Europa League group matches against Steaua Bucharest and Utrecht. Hodgson is short of options in right midfield, where Kuyt usually operates, and also lacks cover for Fernando Torres after Liverpool failed to sign a much-needed striker before the recent transfer deadline.

The 30-year-old started his professional career with Utrecht, where he made 160 appearances and won the only trophy of his career so far – the 2003 Dutch Cup, and is understandably desperate to return when Liverpool travel to Holland on 30 September.

Kuyt, who is believed to have sustained the injury while attempting a bicycle kick, said: “I hope I will make it [for Utrecht] but it all depends on how the injury heals in the first few days. I knew I’d put something out and I pushed it back, but afterwards I was in a lot of pain so I went to the hospital where they found I had torn muscles. I have made a thousand of these moves without any problems. It is very frustrating.”

Hodgson now has only David Ngog, who has impressed in the early weeks of the season, Ryan Babel, who was offered in exchange for West Ham United’s striker Carlton Cole on transfer deadline day, and 19-year-old Daniel Pacheco to ease the burden on Torres during Kuyt’s absence. Joe Cole, however, will be available following Liverpool’s trip to Birmingham on Sunday when he completes a three-match suspension for his dismissal against Arsenal on the opening day of the season.

LiverpoolUtrechtHollandEuropa LeagueAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk

• Chinese investor loses patience with drawn-out process
• Anfield insiders claim decision could be negotiating tactic

Kenny Huang last night informed Martin Broughton, the chairman of Liverpool, that he was breaking off talks regarding a takeover of the club, with one individual close to the Chinese investor’s consortium privately revealing that Huang had received leaked intelligence from within the sale process that his was perceived to be the only viable bid under consideration.

It is a point the board disputes, but that belief, coupled with his frustrations at the pace of progress in negotiations, led to his withdrawal . A statement on behalf of Huang announced: “After due consideration, Kenny Huang and QSL Sports is [sic] withdrawing from the ongoing sales process with respect to Liverpool. Mr. Huang has formally notified the chairman of the Liverpool board.”

Yet, in a hint typical of the smoke-and-mirrors process to sell Liverpool, Huang indicated his decision is not necessarily final, and even those involved in selling the club conceded his announcement could be a negotiating tactic. “I am now considering my future options and will be making no further comment at this time,” he added in his statement.

Huang’s perception that his consortium was the only to have made a credible proposal is something the board has disputed throughout. The Liverpool chief executive, Christian Purslow, stated on Sunday that there were five bids on the table. Even following Huang’s withdrawal, there were still indications from those involved in the sale process that there remain multiple bids under consideration. This discordant view is characteristic of a muddled process that has seen several interested parties attempting to maintain irreconcilable positions. Broughton’s great challenge is to attempt to channel a divided board towards a single outcome. This, as last night’s development demonstrates, has not been easy.

Broughton has maintained that his principal concern is to ensure not that the club is sold but that it is sold to the right bidder, one who can pay off the debts, finance the purchase of a new stadium and guarantee the future funding of the club.

The current owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, are said to be motivated by a desire to recover their money. They injected £84.6m in the 12 months to July last year, on top of £60.7m they had already plunged into the club in their previous two years as owners, and they are also hoping to gain some cash return for their shares. This meant they were not disposed to approving the Huang bid.

“Our goals do not include enriching the current owners,” said Huang’s long-term business partner, Marc Ganis, recently.

Gillett, meanwhile, has been promoting the credentials of Yahya Kirdi, whose proposal was said to include hundreds of millions of pounds for the shares that others consider worthless. There have been fears that if Broughton and his investment-banking advisers, Barcap, were to dismiss this out of hand in favour of Huang’s bid, it could leave him open to a personal liability for litigation from Hicks and Gillett.

Yet the patience of Huang, who is said to have been keen in investing heavily in the transfer market, has snapped. His camp stresses he has fulfilled every request for documentation asked of him, including proof of funds. This has never been corroborated by those charged with selling the club.

“Over the past few months we learned first hand that Liverpool has a very special place in the hearts of millions of fans around the world,” Huang’s statement went on to say. “We concluded that a plan that properly capitalises the business and provides funds for a new stadium and player-related costs would allow Liverpool to provide its great fans with the success they deserve.

“Our strategy and unique ability to expand the fan base in Asia would have been of benefit to all. We regret that we will not have the opportunity to implement this strategy. We thank the many Liverpool fans who expressed support for our efforts and wish the club great success in the years to come.”

The Spirit of Shankly supporters’ groups has for one been left frustrated by Huang’s decision to walk away from a possible Anfield buyout. A spokesman said: “We have got questions and we need and deserve the answers. We are the important stakeholders in all of this.The anger and frustration is growing and the situation at the club needs resolution sooner rather than later, but it is imperative that we get it right. The nightmare [of Hicks and Gillett] needs bringing to an end.”

There remains a belief, held not only by Hicks and Gillett, that Liverpool is undervalued. However, Huang will now observe the sale process from a distance. If he does return to the table, it will be with a reduced offer for the debt holder, the Royal Bank of Scotland. RBS would then face the invidious decision as to whether to subsume Liverpool within its own group by swapping its debt for equity and managing the club through its corporate restructuring team, or to accept whatever other bids later arise.

LiverpoolMatt Scottguardian.co.uk

• Hong Kong businessman withdraws interest in club
• Huang regrets not being able to expand Asian fan base

The Hong Kong businessman Kenny Huang has withdrawn his interest in buying Liverpool but has not given any reasons for his decision.

Huang issued a statement this evening to say he and his company QSL Sports were pulling out of takeover talks with the Anfield club.

Huang was the first party to openly declare an interest in buying the club from the Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett but refused to comment when it was claimed his bid was backed by the Chinese government.

“Over the past few months we learned firsthand that Liverpool has a very special place in the hearts of millions of fans around the world,” said Huang. “We concluded that a plan that properly capitalises the business and provides funds for a new stadium and player related costs would allow Liverpool FC to provide its great fans with the success they deserve. Our strategy and unique ability to expand the fan base in Asia would have bee of benefit to all. We regret that we will not have the opportunity to implement this strategy.

“We thank the many Liverpool fans who expressed support for our efforts and wish the club great success in the years to come.

“I am now considering my future options and will be making no further comment at this time.”

Huang is believed to have become exasperated at the lack of progress in his attempt to gain control at Liverpool and was thought to want to finalise a deal before the transfer window shut. He was one of several potential bidders who submitted an offer before last Friday’s deadline to buy a club he valued at £350m.

The former Manchester United and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon had been engaged by Huang to lead the negotiation for the club and was acting as a consultant for the businessman, though was not expected to assume a role at the club.

LiverpoolPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk