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The global betting firm set to become Everton's new shirt sponsor will move its European headquarters to Liverpool's waterfront.

SportPesa hope to create around 100 jobs within the next 18 months, and are believed to be close to agreeing a deal for offices in the Royal Liver Building.

Last month the ECHO revealed that Everton's billionaire majority investor had jointly bought the Liver Building, and his club's new main sponsor could also arrive there by July.

SportPesa, who also sponsor Hull City and have major commercial deals with Arsenal, Southampton, La Liga and the Kenyan Premier League, have been visiting Liverpool over the past few months.

Director of Global Strategy, Ivo Bozukov said “After months of careful consideration, we have identified Liverpool as the preferred city to call home.

“Liverpool provides us with a number of key factors, such as the wealth of local talent in nearby universities, strong IT and business infrastructure to service a forward-thinking and pioneering enterprise, and most of all a passion for sports second to none in the world.”

SportPesa is well-known throughout Africa for accelerating development through technology, sports development and social investments impacting the community.

Similar community initiatives will soon be introduced and available throughout Merseyside and the UK as a whole.

It is understood that Liverpool beat off competition from a list of European cities that included the likes of London, Manchester and Madrid.

Bozukov concluded, “As a city, Liverpool has a very proud history, unique identity and an exciting future – a future that we would be proud to be a part of.”

SportPesa is expected to open its European HQ in late July 2017.