Liverpool's owners are in talks to sell a minority stake in the club to a consortium led by British-Indian businessman Amit Bhatia, a deal that would value the club at more than £4.5 billion according to the Financial Times (BBC Sport).

Billy Hogan, who serves as CEO of both Liverpool FC and parent company Fenway Sports Group (FSG), confirmed the discussions in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport published on 29 July. Hogan said the talks have been ongoing and that there is "a growing belief a deal will be done" (BBC Sport).

The consortium is led, managed and represented by Bhatia, whose business profile connects him to years of involvement in English football through his family's former stake in Queens Park Rangers. FSG confirmed the consortium has expressed interest in a strategic minority investment — meaning they would not take control of the club, but bring fresh capital and a new voice into the boardroom.

Hogan was keen to frame the move as growth, not retreat. He stressed that FSG remains committed and that the talks should not be read as a sign of the ownership group stepping away. John Henry, FSG's principal owner, has always stated the group would consider investment that helps the football club, Hogan said. All money put in since 2010 goes back into the club, with the emphasis on running it sustainably.

The numbers behind that 15-year stewardship are striking. FSG bought Liverpool for £300 million in 2010 (BBC Sport). The club now sits fifth in the Deloitte Football Money League — an annual ranking of the world's richest clubs by revenue — and posted the highest revenue in the Premier League at £702 million. A £4.5 billion valuation would represent a fifteenfold increase on the original purchase price.

Hogan has been with FSG since that 2010 takeover, joining the club's staff formally in 2012 and rising through several senior roles before being appointed CEO. He also serves as Vice Chair of the LFC Foundation, the club's charitable arm.

The interview came ahead of Liverpool's pre-season match against Wrexham at Yankee Stadium in New York, scheduled for Wednesday evening at 19:30 local time (00:30 BST). Liverpool state they have more than 26 million supporters in the United States, and the American tour underlines why fresh investment from figures with global profiles carries commercial appeal.

Hogan described the past year as "super difficult" for "lots of different reasons," though he did not specify them. He was equally clear about the future: Liverpool has not peaked, he said, and is in a good place to continue growing.

FSG also owns the Boston Red Sox, the Major League Baseball franchise, and has built a multi-club, multi-sport portfolio since acquiring Liverpool. A minority sale would bring new money into that structure without altering who holds the reins.

For supporters, the message from the top is designed to reassure. The owners are not leaving. The money stays in the building. And the valuation — eye-watering as it looks — is a measure of how far Liverpool have climbed since FSG walked through the door in 2010.