Dubai interests may again emerge as the main players in the battle to buy Liverpool. Speculation is growing in the Middle East that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, thought to have lost interest in the club last year as the credit crunch started to bite, may be preparing another move.
But if that does happen, it will only occur next summer, as sources close to the Sheikh argue that the price of the club is likely to keep dropping as the moment when loans with troubled Royal Bank of Scotland have to be renegotiated draws nearer.
Sheikh Maktoum is the ruler of Dubai and founder of Dubai International Capital, which was involved in lengthy and unsuccessful negotiations to buy the club last year.
The Sheikh then took on the potential takeover personally, but opted to pull out several months ago. However, with the intense rivalry between the Arab states over ownership of Premier League clubs, the Sheikh is again believed to be reviewing the situation.
It emerged last week that a Kuwaiti group, the oil-rich al-Kharafi family, were involved in talks – initially with Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks – over a potential buyout, plus the £400m financing of the club's proposed new stadium. Read more....
