FOR SALE ?

Liverpool’s owners have today brought in Chelsea supporter and British Airways boss Martin Broughton as the club’s Chairman and announced their intention to sell the football club.

After 3 years and 3 months of torrid ownership which has saw failure to start work on a new stadium and a failure to invest in the playing squad, Tom Hicks and George Gillett have brought in the new Chairman to try and help sell the club on.

Liverpool were bought for £217M in January 2007, and now have a £236M debt – which the Royal Bank of Scotland have ordered to be reduced by £100 this summer.

There have been suggestions that the owners are believed to want a staggering £500M for the club – over double what they paid.  Their statement even suggests that he have made huge strides forward at the club.

“Owning Liverpool Football Club over these past three years has been a rewarding and exciting experience for us and our families.

“Having grown the club this far we have now decided together to look to sell the club to owners committed to take the club through its next level of growth and development.

“We are delighted that Martin Broughton has agreed to take the position of chairman, working alongside the club’s excellent senior management team.

“Martin is a distinguished business leader of excellent judgment and with a great reputation. He is a genuine football supporter and will seek to oversee the sales process in the best interests of the club and its supporters.”

The new Liverpool chairman, an admitted Chelsea fan, said:

“I am excited and honoured to be taking up this position. Liverpool is a great club with a fantastic history.

“I will run this sale process in the right way, for the benefit of the club and its fans.

“Liverpool is one of the world’s greatest clubs and my aim is to try and ensure that we find new owners who are able to build on the club’s recent improved financial performance in order to help deliver sporting success.”

Is this the 50th birthday present Rafa wanted, or will it intensify speculation that he will go to Juventus to help them spend their £70M transfer war chest.