LIVERPOOL STILL ADMIRED FROM AFAR.

Responding to comments made by the Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry, who said the Thai deal had gone "pretty quiet", Paiboon Damrongchaitham reportedly said it was untrue that he had lost interest in the scheme that was initially brokered by the prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, in May.

"It's a misunderstanding," said the chairman of the GMM Grammy entertainment company, who insisted discussions were continuing with Liverpool's financial advisers, Hawkpoint Partners Ltd, via email.

Liverpool made no comment last night but doubts remain over Damrongchaitham's ability to find financial backers to help raise the estimated £66m required to purchase the stake in the Merseyside club. Last month he formed a company, Liverpool-Thai Holdings, to handle the negotiations and in recent weeks he has reportedly been courting potential investors in Malaysia and Singapore.