Liverpool owners deny selling talk

Liverpool's co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks have issued a joint statement rubbishing reports that either party are preparing to sell their stake in the club.

The American billionaires, who each own 50 per cent of the Anfield outfit, have however reiterated their desire to bring in fresh investment.

Reports gathered pace after Prince Faisal bin Fahad bin Abdulla of Saudi Arabia expressed a desire to buy a 50 per cent stake.

The club have been involved in negotiations with Prince Faisal - and yesterday it was announced academies would be established in conjunction with his sports investment company F6 - but Gillett and Hicks say suggestions of a buy-out are wide of the mark.

The statement read: "The owners have jointly retained Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Rothschild to evaluate the possibility of new investors injecting equity into LFC.

"However, the process is at an early stage, there is no agreement with any party and reports to the contrary are wholly inaccurate."