Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum/Tom Hicks/Anfield montage _320

The Middle East investment arm of the Dubai government, DIC, have moved today to disassociate themselves from suggestions that they are still trying to buy Liverpool, or have moved on to Newcastle.

The move has come following claims that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has tried to interest them in a bid to buy the club.

However, today’s statement only serves to underline a situation that has existed for some time with regard to Liverpool.

DIC is now no longer being used as the financial vehicle to try to buy the club, and that the Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is now handling the situation as a personal venture.

That has been the case since early summer when the sheikh took on the attempts to buy out Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Those negotiations have been carried out in the UK by a company, PCP, run by Amanda Staveley, who has been involved in negotiations for the successful purchase of Manchester City by an Abu Dhabi group. That deal is expected to be finally concluded this week.