Liverpool Owners FSG Eye Getafe Takeover

The mid-table Spanish side have dealt with criticism and controversy in recent years.

When Michael Edwards returned to Liverpool Football Club by way of an newly created Director of Football role for Fenway Sports Group, one that saw him bringing in Richard Hughes to fill his old position as the club’s sporting director, it was always with an eye to multi-club ownership.

Edwards was always intended to oversee the growth of a multi-club network with Liverpool at the top of it, and there were early links with clubs in Brazil and to Malaga in Spain. Later, Bordeaux takeover rumours came to the fore. In the end, though, nothing came of any of the rumours and such chatter went quiet.

Now it’s back, and reliable reports in Spain and England claim Getafe are the target. Based in the southern suburbs of Madrid, Getafe finished 13th in La Liga last season and, similar to Liverpool when FSG took over, there has been tension between supporters and the club’s owner, Ángel Torres, in recent years.

Getafe have appeared in the Europa League twice and finished runners-up in the Copa del Rey twice, back-to-back in 2007 and 2008. Founded in 1983, their only trophy came as they won promotion from Spain’s third division as champions in 1998-99. They count Girona, owned by City Group, as rivals.

The club and fans, though, have faced criticism for their boisterous embrace of Mason Greenwood in 2023 after the player was suspended and pushed out at Manchester United for being arrested and credibly charged with suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill his then-girlfriend.

The club’s fans have also been in involved in two serious racist abuse cases over the past two seasons, with three fans jailed for racist abuse of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. and a partial stadium closure due to racist abuse directed at Sevilla manager Quique Sánchez Flores and player Marcos Acuña.

Getafe supporters have faced other charges of racism in recent years that haven’t led to jail time or stadium closures. Less seriously, they’re notorious for playing negative football. Add it up, and even Liverpool fans open to multi-club ownership might raise an eyebrow at this particular club being the target.

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