Reds confirm two bids

Liverpool have confirmed they have received two offers to purchase the Barclays Premier League Club on a day that also saw owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett attempt to remove two senior figures from the club's board of directors.

The pressure on the American owners to sell the club has increased in recent weeks with a looming October 15 deadline for the repayment of their £282million loans from the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia, as well as protests from supporters' groups.

The Reds confirmed they have received two "excellent" offers that would repay the club's debt, but also revealed that Hicks and Gillett had attempted to oust managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre from the board prior to a meeting held on Tuesday to review the two bids.

A statement on the club website read: "The Board of Directors have received two excellent financial offers to buy the club that would repay all its long-term debt. A board meeting was called to review these bids and approve a sale.

"Shortly prior to the meeting, the owners - Tom Hicks and George Gillett - sought to remove Managing Director Christian Purslow and Commercial Director Ian Ayre from the Board, seeking to replace them with Mack Hicks and Lori Kay McCutcheon.

"This matter is now subject to legal review and a further announcement will be made in due course.

"Meanwhile Martin Broughton, Christian Purslow and Ian Ayre continue to explore every possible route to achieving a sale of the Club at the earliest opportunity."