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Broughton confident of sale

Image: Broughton: Hopeful on deal

Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton is hopeful the proposed takeover by New England Sports Ventures will be completed on Friday.

Reds chairman says prospective owner may attend weekend derby

Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton is hopeful the proposed takeover by New England Sports Ventures will be completed on Friday. In a week of drama for the Reds, current owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are desperately trying to hold onto the club despite a High Court decision on Thursday which ruled in favour of Liverpool against the temporary injunction imposed in a Dallas court. With the Americans going back to court in Texas once more, Broughton has revealed that he believes a deal will be completed on Friday, and is hoping prospective new owner John W Henry will be present at the Merseyside derby on Sunday. When asked if a deal with NESV had been completed yet, he told Sky Sports News: "Not yet, we're still in court in Texas trying to get the temporary restraining order overturned. We still have to do that." On when he expects the sale to be sown up, Broughton added: "I think probably sometime tomorrow. "We're nearly there. We'll have to see, we've still got to take away the restraining order. "Mr Henry is still very committed. We've got lots of bidders who are very committed." On whether the Boston Red Sox owner will be present at Goodison Park this weekend, he remarked: "My guess is we'll have it done and he'll be there, but we've got to get rid of this order first."

Deadline

Hicks and Gillett have been given until 4pm on Friday to comply with the orders from the High Court and withdraw their action in Texas. The American pair had obtained a temporary restraining order against the sale of the Anfield club to NESV on Wednesday, blocking the deal which had been ruled legal by the British courts just hours earlier. Liverpool have hired lawyers in Dallas to combat the restraining order, and proceedings have now been adjourned until Friday in the United States. Lawyers for the club and their prospective new owners filed a motion for the restraining order to be thrown out on Friday, with the deadline set by the club's financiers Royal Bank of Scotland for repayment of their £280million debt coming ever nearer. Reds managing director Christian Purslow admits that it all now hinges on events in America, as the club try and overcome what could be the final obstacle before a deal with NESV can be secured. He said: "I hope so we have had a good day in court today and now we are waiting for the result from Texas. "We have been challenging that in court in Texas." Prospective new owner John W Henry was also quizzed by the waiting media as he left. Asked how close he was to becoming the next Liverpool owner, Henry replied: "We'll see." And asked for his opinion of Hicks and Gillett, he added: "I don't want to say."

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