Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has acquired a stake in Liverpool, the prestigious English Premier League (EPL) club.

According to foreign media reports, including Reuters, on Saturday (KST), Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the American owner of Liverpool, has reached a final agreement to sell a strategic minority stake to a consortium named 1892 Holdings.

Named after the founding year of the Liverpool club, 1892 Holdings is led by Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, and includes K5 Sports, a venture capital firm where Bezos is the largest investor.

Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook, is also participating.

According to Forbes estimates, Bezos holds a fortune of 280 billion dollars (approximately 397 trillion won), while Saverin boasts 32 billion dollars (45 trillion won), placing them among the world's elite billionaires.

Citing a source familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that the stake in Liverpool being sold accounts for roughly one-third of the total.

British media reported that the transaction is valued at over 1.5 billion pounds (2.88 trillion won), with Liverpool's overall club valuation estimated at more than 5 billion pounds (9.6 trillion won).

The agreement is also known to include an option for 1892 Holdings to increase its investment in the future.

Bhatia, who spent 18 years as co-owner of English professional club Queens Park Rangers (QPR) before disposing of his stake last month, will become the new vice-chairman of Liverpool.

He will also join the expanded board of directors.

Elaine of EE Capital, wife of Saverin, and Brian Baum, founder of K5 Sports, will also become board members.

Meanwhile, although this stake acquisition marks Bezos's first step as a sports club owner, he is reportedly not planning to join the Liverpool board of directors.

FSG, which acquired Liverpool for 300 million pounds in 2010, will maintain its status as the club's majority shareholder and retain management control following the transaction.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)