Liverpool owners FSG appear to be stepping up their attempts at buying a second football club.
The Americans have been looking to add another team to their stable as they look to expand their reach within the sport.
The move could have positive knock-on effects for Liverpool. It has been claimed that FSG would look to use a second club as a way of developing talent to come into the Reds’ first-team.
As a result, fans should be interested in seeing the identity of the club in question. We’ve already had a go at predicting where they might eventually aim their focus at.
With Michael Edwards convinced by the project and Benfica’s Pedro Marques now on board too, things look to be gathering pace. And it’s now been suggested that FSG have been looking into a club that bore one of Liverpool’s modern day heroes.
FSG interested in buying Vasco da Gama stake
Plenty of supporters won’t be at all bothered by which club FSG will look to buy. Ultimately, they’ll feel it has little to do with them.
Some will even be staunchly against the idea. Man City have been doing it for years now and by general rule, if City are knee-deep in it, then it’s probably not great for the wider health of the game.
Having said that though, you can’t help but be excited by the prospect of a feeder club to develop talent tailor made for Liverpool.
And according to Brazilian out Globo, that club could potentially end up being Vasco da Gama.
Vasco are currently owned by American group 777 Partners, who hold a 70% majority stake. However, Globo report that the private investment company is in real danger of bankruptcy. Consequently, the Brazilian top division side are said to have filed a lawsuit against their majority owner.
This has opened the door of opportunity for someone else. And it’s claimed that along with some other candidates, FSG have been ‘probing’ the possibility of buying out 777.
Who are Vasco da Gama
It’s likely that a lot of English football fans will be aware of Vasco without really realising it. Their black shirts with the white sash and distinctive red cross for a badge are truly iconic.
But for Liverpool fans in particular, there’s another reason for them to identify with the club from Rio de Janeiro.
One of their most influential players of the early Jurgen Klopp years – Philippe Coutinho – was nurtured in the Vasco academy.
Coutinho never made an appearance for the first-team, plucked by Inter Milan at 16 instead. From there, the now 31-year-old made his name at Liverpool, where Klopp hailed his ‘genius.’
The little magician aside, Vasco currently have former Premier League players Dimitri Payet and Gary Medel in their squad. They have four Brazilian titles, one Copa Libertadores and one Copa do Brasil to their name. This would be a real coup.