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The sale of Liverpool Football Club to New England Sports Ventures is "nearly there" according to chairman Martin Broughton.

American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett lost a High Court battle to block the sale of the club to the owners of the Boston Red Sox on Thursday evening.

Hicks and Gillett are scheduled to have another court hearing in Texas at 1300 BST on Friday, but Broughton is optimistic that the drawn out takeover saga is beginning to move to a conclusion.

Judge Christopher Floyd ruled that the US injunction obtained by Hicks and Gillett attempting to block the sale to NESV held no validity in England.

"We're nearly there," said Broughton. "We've still got to take away the restraining order."

A statement issued on behalf of the board following the decision read:"The independent directors of Liverpool Football Club are delighted with the verdict of Mr Justice Floyd in the High Court which now requires Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett to withdraw their Texas restraining order by 1600 BST on Friday.

"We are glad to have taken another important step towards completing the sale process."

Broughton now believes that NESV frontman John W Henry could be in attendance at Sunday's Merseyside derby with Everton.

"Mr Henry is very committed," he added. "My guess is we'll have it done and he'll be there, but we've got to get rid of this order first."

Broughton and NESV are now hoping the deal can be concluded before Friday's deadline with major creditor the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Liverpool could still be placed into administration and would be docked nine Premier League points should they fail to meet the bank's deadline to repay a £200million loan.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email