Liverpool came “very close” to takeover from billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft
Billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has said he once almost bought Liverpool and admits he could still be tempted into investing in another Premier League club.
The American, who has an estimated net worth of $4.8bn (£3.4bn), was a prospective buyer of the Merseyside giants in 2005 before fellow countrymen Tom Hicks and George Gillett bought the club.
His New England Patriots NFL franchise is currently chasing back-to-back Superbowl wins and begins its play-offs campaign against Kansas City Chiefs tonight.
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But in an interview on Sky Sports documentary "Kraft's Patriots: Inside New England", the business tycoon revealed his sporting interests came close to crossing the pond to England.
"I came very close to buying Liverpool," he admitted. "What I love is the passion of the fans."
In 2005, Kraft met with then Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry about a potential investment but decided to focus on the Patriots.
“Robert Kraft would have been a magnificent owner we think,” said Parry last year. “He would have been brilliant, there was a real rapport…he was concerned about was the lack of a wage cap in football. Before we got to an offer he pulled away which was tragic in many ways.”
Kraft, who also owns Major League Soccer franchise New England Revolution, added that he could be tempted into taking another look at the Premier League: "Were flirting with a couple of things," he said. "You can never be sure of the future.
"I can just assure you this, if we ever do do it, it will be because we think we have an opportunity to build a winning franchise.
"But winning is a special high that comes from winning and when you are competing at a very high level, and you are trying to position yourself at being excellent, that is a turn on for me."
If he could replicate his success at the Patriots, football fans in England would likely welcome any potential investment from Massachusetts' hometown hero Kraft.
After saving the Patriots from a potential relocation away from New England and buying the franchise in 1994, the team has won 15 AFC East titles and four Superbowl championships – having never previously won one.