Jeff Bezos’ fortune has become a talking point over recent weeks in the Premier League circle for the first time, as the Amazon founder could reportedly become a significant shareholder at Liverpool.

According to reports, Bezos is part of a consortium that is closing in on a deal to buy a roughly one-third stake in the Anfield outfit, alongside Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin and a deal could be agreed as early as this week.

With reports suggesting that the deal is edging closer, here is what his wealth stands at what a stake in the six-time European champions would actually mean for the world’s third-richest man.

How much is Bezos worth and why does it matter for a Liverpool deal?

Bezos’ net worth is difficult to put a number on, given that most of his wealth is either tied up in Amazon stocks and other assets, meaning his fortune can fluctuate throughout the day.

According to the Forbes Real Time Billionaires List, his net worth sits at $280.6billion, placing him as the third-richest person in the world behind Elon Musk and Larry Page. The figure is a snapshot rather than a fixed number as it doesn’t take into account the assets and stocks that are tied up.

Even a deal worth well over £1billion would represent a small fraction of Bezos’ overall wealth, comfortably under 1% of his fortune, by most estimates. For a club-record investment by Premier League standards, it is, relatively speaking, pocket change for the Amazon CEO.

Reports of Bezos’ interest in Liverpool first surfaced in late July, when it emerged he had been approached to join a consortium led by British-Indian Businessman Amit Bhatia. The group is seeking a minority stake in the club worth roughly 30%, which would value Liverpool at around $6 billion (£4.5 million), comfortably above the figure Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS paid for its stake in Manchester United.

Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s owners since 2010, confirmed last month that it had received an approach by investors, with chief executive Billy Hogan acknowledging the talks publicly. Crucially, a sale of this size would not hand over control, as FSG would remain the majority shareholder and continue to run the club, even as it banks what could amount to a huge return on their £300million investment from 16 years ago.

Bezos’ history with sports and what his investment would look like

Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Should the deal go through, it would mark Bezos’ first direct equity stake in a professional sports team, though he is no stranger to the industry. He previously explored a bid for NFL teams, whilst Amazon Prime Video has become a major player in live sports, streaming Premier League fixtures as well as having a behind-the-scenes “All or Nothing” documentary series, following a single club across a whole season.

Unlike a full takeover however, a minority investment would primarily be a passive financial stake rather than giving complete boardroom control over the club, as FSG would remain majority owners. Bezos’ investment would likely give him a hands-off position, with his money providing funds for the club rather than giving him a say in transfer policy or day-to-day operations.

For Liverpool, the appeal is straightforward. The deal would see the club be valued at almost £6billion, and would label themselves as one of the most lucrative clubs in world football, whilst FSG remain in control. For Bezos, even at the upper end of reported figures, the deal wouldn’t burn a hole in his pockets, but would place him at the heart of one of English football’s most prestige clubs.

Former Manchester United winger Ashley Young has revealed that he needs a hip replacement, weeks after announcing his retirement from professional football.

Young went public with his decision to hang up his boots back in April, calling time on a career that started in 2003. He made over 800 appearances for club and country, winning the Premier League title with United, as well as Serie A with Inter Milan, and a handful of domestic cup competitions.

He finished his career at Ipswich Town in the Championship last term, making 15 appearances for the Tractor Boys as they won promotion back to the English top flight.

Despite contributing to Kieran McKenna’s side’s success, the veteran converted full-back was battling an intense injury issue throughout his final campaign in football.

Ashley Young Reveals He Needs a Hip Replacement

A flamboyant winger in his early days, Young developed into a tough-tackling full-back in his latter years, and this robust style, as well as 800-career matches, has clearly had an effect on his body.

Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Young explained the issues he’s been dealing with regarding his injured hip:

Ashley Young Explains His Difficult Final Season

After exacerbating the issue in training just before another round of injections, Young was unable to train for three months.

For many, this would’ve signalled the end at 41 years of age. However, the former England international was determined to bow out on a high.

“From January to the end of the season, I literally had two or three months when I couldn’t train,” he explained.

“It was that painful. I saw the specialist again and said ‘I’m not going out like this’. He said he didn’t want to give me another injection as it would weaken the area.

“I asked him, ‘Are you telling me I can’t play football again? You can say it if you want; trust me, if I get an opportunity to be back on the pitch, I’ll be back on the pitch’.

“The last two months of the season I was training every day and he was like, ‘it is not possible, you shouldn’t be training’.

“It would have been incredible to come onto the pitch for the last game of the season, but for me to train like I did that week and for us to be promoted on the last day of the season, it was fitting.”

Jeff Bezos is on the brink of becoming Liverpool‘s co-owner as a consortium are close to buying a stake in the Premier League club.

The Amazon founder and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin are part of the investment group fronted by former Queens Park Rangers shareholder Amit Bhatia. A proposed deal will see them purchase around a 30–33% stake in the Merseyside outfit for around £1.35 billion.

While it is not a full takeover, it is still a significant development as Fenway Sports Group (FSG) look to bring in more co-investors to help with strategic backing and long-term finances. Here’s a look at what Bezos’ investment could mean for the most decorated English football club.

Bezos Investment Helps Liverpool Grow Globally

REUTERS/Phil Noble via Action Images

The third-richest person in the world will be investing in Liverpool if a deal is completed, as Bezos sits behind only Elon Musk and Larry Page on Forbes’ rich list. He is thought to be worth $280.6 billion (£207.505bn) and he’ll become the club’s co-owner alongside Saverin with a stake of more than 30%.

It’s becoming the norm for the richest investors in the world to explore investing in top football clubs like the Anfield giants. This will be Bezos’ first involvement in the sport as he has previously explored bids for NFL teams.

Bezos’ wealth will boost the club’s financial resources, which includes the transfer market, work on their stadium and global expansion. FSG will remain the controlling shareholder, but speculation is pointing towards an eventual full takeover.

FSG have owned Liverpool since 2010 after buying the club for £300 million and, 16 years on, Forbes values the Merseysiders at around £4.6 billion. It is why Bezos’ investment makes this one of the biggest deals in football history.

It’s not just domestically where the proposed deal will have an impact, as the Reds’ global reach will increase due to the backing of some of the wealthiest investors in the world. They are likely to have more opportunities in the United States and Asia, helping their brand grow.

More Big-Money Signings And Trophy Success

Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

A new era started at the start of the summer when Andoni Iraola replaced Arne Slot as first-team manager. Mohamed Salah also ended a legendary nine-year spell with the club and thus the fresh investment will help build a team to compete under the newly-appointed Spaniard.

A deal for Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola is expected to cost over £100 million and this could easily be achieved with such financial backing. Perhaps that’s why there has been a lack of heavy transfer activity as FSG wait to announce Bezos and Saverin’s arrivals.

REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq

Bezos and Saverin’s capital injections give FSG the financial strength to target squad development, contract renewals and focus on long-term football operations. It rules out the need to rely on debt financing and instead ensures the club are economically secure.

The long term is something Bezos emphasizes when reflecting on Amazon’s growth since being founded back in 1994. He wrote to shareholders back in 2018 ‘It’s all about the long-term’ and those comments are fitting to describe his motives behind investing in the English football club.