A fresh twist has emerged in the ongoing story of potential investment in Liverpool, with reports indicating that Jeff Bezos — founder of e-commerce giant Amazon — has been approached about joining a consortium seeking to purchase a minority stake in the Premier League club.

The consortium is led by Amit Bhatia, a 46-year-old British-Indian businessman and son-in-law of Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal. Bhatia stepped down as a director and co-owner of Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday after 18 years at the west London club, a move that appears to have cleared the way for him to lead discussions over acquiring a reported 30% stake in Liverpool.

Sources close to Bhatia declined to confirm to BBC Sport whether Bezos had been formally approached, stating only that the consortium had held talks with a number of potential investors. Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool's American owners, also declined to comment.

Who is Jeff Bezos?

Bezos, 62, is ranked as the fourth-richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $256.9bn (£192.1bn) according to Forbes. He stepped down as Amazon's chief executive in 2021 to become executive chairman, while retaining an 8% stake in the company. His portfolio also includes The Washington Post and aerospace company Blue Origin.

Although Bezos has not previously invested in professional sport, he has come close. In 2023, he was linked with a bid for the NFL's Washington Commanders when the franchise was put up for sale by owner Daniel Snyder. He also explored the possibility of acquiring the Seattle Seahawks — winners of the Super Bowl — but ultimately did not submit an offer for either franchise.

Why does FSG want new investment?

The picture looks markedly different from FSG's last investment round. When the group sold a minority single-figure percentage stake to Dynasty Equity in 2023, the deal helped offset revenue lost during the pandemic and service debt tied to infrastructure projects, including the Kirkby training centre and the Anfield Road stand expansion.

This time, Liverpool's finances are in robust health. The club confirmed in February that it achieved record revenues exceeding £700m, ranking as the highest-placed Premier League side in the Deloitte Football Money League. According to the Financial Times, a deal with the Bhatia consortium would value the club at around £4.5bn — more than 15 times the £300m FSG paid when it acquired Liverpool in 2010.

That trajectory raises a natural question: is FSG beginning to position itself for an eventual exit? The group has overseen an era of remarkable success, with Liverpool lifting two Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup since 2019.

Yet this is also a period of transition. Andoni Iraola has taken charge as head coach, Michael Edwards has stepped down as FSG's CEO of football, and sporting director Richard Hughes has been strongly linked with a move to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Against that backdrop, the timing of a potential new investment round is notable.

What do supporters make of it?

Liverpool fans are processing news that raises as many questions as it answers. Neil Atkinson, CEO of supporter platform The Anfield Wrap, told BBC Sport that scrutiny is warranted whenever wealthy individuals seek a foothold in a Premier League club.