Liverpool Football Club in troubled waters
A man walks past a Liverpool club crest on a gate outside the club's Anfield stadium in Liverpool, northern England. REUTERS

As Liverpool's bidding war enters its second week, Kirdi and Huang are set to fight it out after the two emerged as frontrunners.

Since 3 August, when Kenny Huang first announced his interest, it has been clear that two main bidders have been interested with syrian Yahya Kirdi declaring his interest shortly after on Aug 4 - going as far as to say that an agreement have already been rached.

One week later however and a bid appears no closer to being done despite the Chinese Government, an Indian business conglomerate and United Arab Emirates all being interested.

Indian conglomerate led by a gentleman by the name of Subrata Roy were the first to declare themselves out whilst Yahya Kirdi remains a 'suspect' bidder after being quoted as saying contradictory things - along with a real lack of business acumen in an interview with Bloomberg posted today.

COWBOY 'KIRDI'?

Kirdi, the Syrian - the first to declare his interest after Chinese consortium led by Kenny Huang, surprised investors and fans when he said a 'bid' had already been accepted and initial agreement signed when a follow-up in Bloomberg then added that he'd been rejected by in April since he would not 'pay a pound more than its worth'.

The Syrian then went on to declare that a number of 'private' investors were behind him - despite him owning a Pizza chain in Quebec and lacking credibility: "I'm very serious," Kirdi said. "There are big names with me, big companies. When the deal is done you'll know everybody but they want to be private now."

The vociferous Kirdi and his rival Huang's comments to the media has reportedly upset Martin Broughton - the chairman of British Airways plc brought in to find a deal along with investment bank Barclays Capital, according to the Independant who say that the team would prefer the bid to remain secret to protect work going on 'behind the scenes'.

Relaying through canadian sports consultancy Dan Diamond, the president of GameDay would not confirm or deny reports that Kirdi's consortium had gained the backing of crucial UAE ruling elite, the al-Qasimis who have access to the Kingdom's rich reserves of oil and natural gas.

However, Kirdi, who claims that he has already got an agreement from current owner George Gillett whilst also saying he is being used to 'push up the price' remains a somewhat of a 'quasi' bidder in the current market climate for Liverpool FC - a club with debts of £351 milion.

Indeed rival Huang appears to agree when asked whether he can match the Syrian's current offer/agreement - suggesting that Kirdi is being used by the current owners to 'mark-up the price of an investment' for George Gillett and Tom Hicks who have come to the end of an acrimonious reign.

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Arriving in 2007 with a £174.1m bid, the americans promised to finance £200m into the club along with new stadium and players.

However they were largely rejected by the fans - with George Gillett's son being heckled by fans and Tom Hicks Jr being verbally attacked whilst trying to watch Liverpool locally in the pub - and are now likely to want their money's worth on departing the club from which they never received love.

TRANSFER HOLD-UP?

The acrimonious history is inevitably leading to a hold-up in business proceeds as the rival bidders wage what Barcap and Martin have said is a 'PR' war.

Transfers at the club, which so far have been limited by funds available to Gillett and Hicks are now reportedly on hold after Christian Poulsen's move from Juventus was stopped at the last minute. Although not off, his move is waiting apparent funds from the sale of Mascherano to Inter Milan, however could also be a side effect of Gillett and Hicks leaving the club.

Indeed, if the americans do not receive the money they want from the bidders, they could insist on Poulsen's transfer being on hold indefinitely as they cash in what assets they have...

"I want at least two months, two months to see everything," added Kirdi in his Bloombery interview today, "After that, if everything is OK, it's a deal. If not, 'thank you very much'."

Huang meanwhile remains tight lipped.