UK press speculation is mounting that Thailand’s billionaire prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, will reach an agreement to buy a large stake in Liverpool Football Club.

The club’s chief executive, Rick Parry, is currently in Bangkok and, yesterday, he was said to have held talks with Shinawatra regarding investment opportunities in the club.

It is believed that the prime minister is leading a consortium of Thai investors who could jointly invest over £60m – giving the consortium a 30 per cent stake in the club.

Currently, shares in the club are divided between the chair, David Moores, who owns 51 per cent, tv group Granada, which owns 9.9 per cent and property developer, Steve Morgan, who owns 5 per cent.

Liverpool FC is refusing to confirm whether a deal has been agreed or not and have stated that an announcement will only be made if a deal is finalised.

However, it is also reported that many Liverpool supporters have expressed ‘grave misgivings’ regarding a possible Thai agreement and doing a deal with a government possessing a questionable human rights record.