LIVERPOOL co-owner Tom Hicks has vowed that the club will build a new stadium – but supporters will have to wait until the worldwide financial markets recover.
Hicks and business partner George Gillett have been unable to raise the £500million it will cost to build a new Anfield because of the worldwide credit crunch.
Hicks is set to pocket £450m from the imminent sale of his baseball franchise Texas Rangers, but he insists that that money cannot be used to fund a new Liverpool stadium.
“Rangers and Liverpool are totally separate investments, so there is no connection,” said Hicks. “I do plan to keep a significant participation in the Rangers. We are close to winning our division. I want to finish what we have started.
“Liverpool will obtain stadium financing when the financial market opens back up. We have all of our permits and will be ready when the market is ready.”
Liverpool’s new managing director Christian Purslow admitted last week that the club hope to have the stadium completed in time for 2018 – should England’s World Cup bid be successful.
But that is six years behind the original schedule set when Hicks and Gillett bought Liverpool three years ago.
Hicks added: “Christian Purslow is working hard. Liverpool’s new management focus is producing great new commercial results that will become known in due time.”
On the field Jamie Carragher insists Liverpool are focusing only on winning the Premier League title and not on which sides might break into the top four.
Numerous pundits are predicting Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur as possible clubs who could break up the traditional big four in the fight for Champions League qualification.
And despite both City and Spurs starting the season in fine form as Liverpool have lost two of their opening four games Carragher only has eyes for the big prize.
The Liverpool defender said: “There are other teams who could get into the top four this year – but hopefully not at our expense.
“We’re not thinking about that, though, we’re just thinking about the title and not about fourth place.
“A couple of teams have jumped out so far. We’ve already played Tottenham and Aston Villa and of course Manchester City are the side a lot of people are talking about, but if we start playing the way we can then I’m sure we’ll be right up there.
