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Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Bill Gates turned down chance to buy Liverpool

Adrees Latif / REUTERS

Liverpool was dangled under the noses of computer tycoon Bill Gates and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, but neither businessman was interested.

Former Reds owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett eventually agreed to sell the club in April 2010, but were previously exploring various parties in their homeland of the United States. Despite the vast amount of money going into English football, Gates and Kraft didn't bite.

Then-chairman Sir Martin Broughton was asked in February 2015 on behalf of the Supreme Court of the State of New York if there had been an attempt to contact both Gates and Kraft about a potential purchase of Liverpool.

"Correct," he replied, according to court documents.

He then confirmed that there had also been outreach in Hong Kong and Norway for investors.

There is no knowledge of a response from Microsoft co-owner Gates about the approach, but Kraft, who recently saw his NFL franchise win the Superbowl after an enthralling contest with the Atlanta Falcons, dismissed the approach altogether.

"He had been approached and wasn't interested," said Broughton.

Liverpool's eventual new owners didn't come too far from Kraft's backyard, with New England Sports Ventures - now known as the Fenway Sports Group, which heads up MLB's Boston Red Sox - completing the purchase of Liverpool for £300 million in October 2010.

Hicks and Gillett, who were unable to keep up with repayments used to buy the club in 2007, have since described the sale to Fenway Sports Group as an "epic swindle."

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