Amit Bhatia has largely stayed away from the spotlight despite spending nearly two decades in football ownership. Now, the British-Indian businessman has emerged at the centre of one of the biggest potential deals in Premier League history.
According to reports by AP and AFP, a consortium led by Bhatia is in talks to acquire a significant minority stake in Liverpool FC, a move that could value the English giants at more than $6 billion.
While negotiations remain at an early stage and no agreement has been reached, the proposed investment has once again placed Bhatia, a businessman with longstanding links to English football, in the global spotlight.
If completed, the investment would rank among the largest minority stake transactions in world football.
Who is Amit Bhatia?
Although his name is only now entering mainstream football conversation, Bhatia has been involved in sport and business for years. The British-Indian entrepreneur began his career as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley in New York before moving into entrepreneurship, building businesses across construction materials, real estate and private equity.
His flagship construction company has grown into one of the United Kingdom’s largest independent building materials businesses, while his real estate interests span residential developments, student accommodation and commercial property. In 2013, he was recognised among Britain’s leading young entrepreneurs.
Bhatia is also the son-in-law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, one of the world’s wealthiest industrialists and chairman of ArcelorMittal, the world’s second-largest steelmaker. The Mittal family has an estimated fortune running into tens of billions of dollars and has steadily expanded its investments beyond heavy industry into sport, hospitality and global assets.
His marriage to Vanisha Mittal in 2004 drew international attention after the six-day celebration in France became one of the most expensive weddings ever held at the time.
Talks underway with Liverpool owners
Liverpool’s American owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), confirmed that a consortium “led, managed and represented by Amit Bhatia” has expressed interest in making a strategic minority investment in the club.
The discussions remain exploratory, with no certainty that a deal will eventually materialise. According to multiple reports, the investor group has already appointed advisers to work on the proposal as negotiations continue with FSG.
The Financial Times also reported that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been approached about joining the consortium, although there is no indication that he has agreed to participate.
FSG purchased Liverpool in 2010 for £300 million, transforming the club into one of the world’s most valuable football businesses through investment in infrastructure, commercial partnerships and on-field success. In 2023, it sold a minority stake to US investment firm Dynasty Equity after previously indicating it was open to external investment without relinquishing overall control.
A long association with football
Bhatia’s sporting interests extend well beyond boardrooms. For nearly two decades, he served as director and co-owner of Queens Park Rangers (QPR), becoming one of the Championship club’s most recognisable figures. His association with QPR was so significant that one of the stands at Loftus Road bears the family name.
Earlier this week, however, Bhatia agreed to transfer his shareholding in QPR to majority owner Ruben Gnanalingam, a move widely viewed as eliminating any potential conflict should the Liverpool investment proceed.
From IPL to the Premier League
The proposed Liverpool deal comes only weeks after the Mittal family agreed to acquire a minority stake in Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals, marking its first significant investment in Indian cricket.
A stake in Liverpool would represent a dramatic expansion of that sporting portfolio, giving the family interests in two of the world’s most commercially valuable sporting competitions, the IPL and the English Premier League.
The move also reflects a broader trend of Indian investors increasingly targeting global sports assets as clubs become long-term commercial businesses rather than simply sporting institutions.
Why Liverpool?
Liverpool remain among the most valuable clubs in global football. The Merseyside club have won 20 English league titles and six UEFA Champions League crowns, while also developing one of the strongest commercial operations in European football.
According to recent financial disclosures, Liverpool generated more than £700 million in revenue during the 2024–25 season, supported by global commercial partnerships with brands including Standard Chartered, Adidas and Google Pixel.
That commercial strength, combined with worldwide fan engagement and consistently high broadcasting revenues, continues to make Liverpool an attractive proposition for investors seeking exposure to elite global sport.
Whether Bhatia’s consortium ultimately secures a stake remains uncertain. But the discussions underline how global football continues to attract capital from beyond its traditional investor base and how Indian business families are increasingly looking beyond cricket as they build their presence in the business of sport.
