Huang denies making formal bid for Liverpool

Beijing: Chinese businessman Kenny Huang has denied making a formal bid for Liverpool amid mounting media speculation of an imminent change in ownership at the Premier League club.

Huang, a Guangdong-born U.S. citizen who already has interests in Chinese baseball and U.S. basketball, replied to the reports in a statement issued on his behalf on Wednesday."Mr Huang would like to emphasise that he has registered interest in investing in Liverpool FC but has made no formal bid," it said. "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 had 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 buying the 18-times English champions. 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. Bureau Report