The battle for ownership at Anfield has been raging for some time and will head to the High Court on Tuesday following a dispute between Tom Hicks and George Gillett and prospective buyers New England Sports Ventures. Liverpool have agreed a sale to NESV, but this is being opposed by current owners Hicks and Gillett, who are not happy about independent chairman Martin Broughton accepting an offer without their permission. Broughton insists he had the right to sell the club to NESV as Hicks and Gillett had signed agreements not to oppose the sale when they received an extension to their refinancing deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland earlier this year. RBS have won an interim injunction preventing Hicks and Gillett from firing Broughton and two other board members, namely managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre. But a fresh twist has now emerged with the news that Lim is set to make it a three-way tussle for control of the Reds, vying with NESV and Hicks and Gillett. It is understood that Lim is to approach the Liverpool board with a view to making a higher offer, having previously missed out to NESV. In the closing stages of the initial auction he was thought to be the club's preferred bidder, and he is now looking to rekindle his interest. Whereas NESV would withdraw their offer if Liverpool are placed into administration, reports suggest that Lim would still be ready to buy the club. The threat of administration comes because RBS could decide to call in the £237million acquisition debt owed, due for payment in full on Friday 15 October, if Hicks and Gillett prevail in the High Court.
