- FSG allegedly interested in selling Liverpool
- Saudi and Qatari consortium bids mooted
- James feels big-money takeover unnecessary
WHAT HAPPENED? Amid news of Liverpool potentially being up for sale, James feels that it would be in the best interests of the club to invest its revenues over a long period of time, rather than entering a "vicious cycle" of spending big money without winning trophies. He also pointed towards the effect such changes can have on the dressing room, and tipped Liverpool to be back to winning ways in no time.
WHAT THEY SAID: "I don’t think investment from the Middle East is the only way Liverpool can stay competitive with Manchester City," James told Genting Casino. "Rather than spending loads of money to get something now, contain it so next season, or season after, and then invest wisely over a long period rather than going out there and spending big straight away.
"Otherwise you’re in a vicious cycle where you are having to spend huge amounts of money and you are theoretically not able to win the league, and that’s a big deficit. And it’s very disruptive to a dressing room if you’re continually buying all the time. I think there’s a chance where Liverpool can go quiet for a season or two and then come back and win the league."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, are open to selling the club, despite chairman Tom Werner declaring it was "business as usual" in mid-November. The Reds' list of potential suitors includes potential Saudi and Qatari consortiums, as they join fellow English giants Man Utd in a possible takeover bid, with tech giants Apple being the rumoured frontrunners interested in the Manchester club.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR UNITED AND LIVERPOOL? While two of English football's biggest clubs are possibly up for sale - of which ex-United defender Gary Neville feels his former club would be the "more attractive investment" - it is likely to take several months for any deal to get over the line.