Syrian says Liverpool deal close; Huang denies bid

Syrian businessman Yahya Kirdi said on Wednesday he is in the final stages of negotiations to buy Liverpool as reports mounted of a wave of bids to buy the Premier League club.

Kirdi said in a statement agreement had been reached "on all major terms including the purchase price, repayment of the existing bank debt... and financing of a new stadium in Liverpool's Stanley Park.

"A formal purchase agreement between the parties is in the final stage of negotiation."

However, Canadian-based Kirdi was also widely talked of as a possible purchaser in April without a deal emerging and the Liverpool Echo newspaper and other media reported as many as six potential bidders.

Earlier, Chinese businessman Kenny Huang, who was widely reported to be close to a purchase earlier this week, issued a statement denying he had made any formal offer.

Huang, a Guangdong-born US citizen who already has interests in Chinese baseball and US basketball, had a statement issued on his behalf by his Hong Kong representatives.

"Mr Huang would like to emphasise that he has registered interest in investing in Liverpool FC but has made no formal bid," it said.

"SPECULATION"

"There has been much speculation and commentary from a wide array of people, many of whom have little knowledge of the facts," it added.

"Unless there is a statement that specifically comes from Mr Huang or his authorised representatives... we would suggest such comments should be given little credence."

A source close to Huang told Reuters on Monday that talks to buy Liverpool's 237 million pound ($374.7 million) debt with major creditor Royal Bank of Scotland were underway as a first step towards acquiring control of the 18-times English champions.

RBS denied any talks on a sale.

Liverpool's owners, Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett, who bought the club in February 2007 from former owner David Moores for 218.9 million pounds, instructed Barclays Capital in April to find a buyer.

They have appointed British Airways chief Martin Broughton as chairman to oversee the sale.

A company which said it was acting on behalf of one of the would-be owners said their unnamed client was very serious about buying the club but refused to give details.

Keith Harris, of the Seymour Pierce investment bank, told Sky Sports News that the buyers were "cash rich".