Premier League takeover off as followers concern membership is ‘doomed’ and funds ‘ruined’
Everton‘s much-anticipated takeover by the Friedkin Group has hit the skids – leaving fans in the lurch.
The US billionaire Dan Friedkin, who also owns Roma, had been in exclusive talks with the Toffees’ chief Farhad Moshiri since earlier this year. Despite all the hustle and bustle behind the scenes, it looks like a deal is off the cards.
The club and the Friedkin Group dropped the bombshell in a joint statement on Friday morning. It marks the fourth time a potential sale has gone pear-shaped in the two years since Moshiri started looking to pack up his stake in the club.
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The official word from both parties reads: “Following a period of exclusivity, discussions between Blue Heaven Holdings [the vehicle through which Moshiri owns the club] and The Friedkin Group over a potential sale of a majority stake in Everton have ended and The Friedkin Group will not be progressing with a purchase of the club.
“Both Blue Heaven Holdings and The Friedkin Group entered discussions in good faith to explore whether a sale could be agreed. Those discussions have concluded. The parties agree it is in both their interests for Everton to explore alternative options.”
What do you think of the news that another takeover bid has failed at Everton? Let us know in the comments section below
(Image: Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)
They added: “The Friedkin Group will remain a lender to the club and is proud to have played a key role in enabling the new stadium to be built, which will help ensure a bright future for both Everton and the city of Liverpool,” reports the Liverpool Echo.
“Blue Heaven Holdings maintains a positive relationship with The Friedkin Group and would like to thank them for the time and effort they have put into this process. When there is further news to share, it will be provided via the club’s official communication channels.”
Despondent fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their understandable disappointment. One fan said: “So Everton have gone from a promising potential takeover to basically having new lenders and to same old dross in charge. Financially the club has been ruined and the only way I see the club stepping out of it is by having an owner so rich they don’t care. Doomed.”
Another supporter said: “The disappointment that the Friedkin takeover isn’t happening is superseded by the worry of who could come in. Everton has giant potential and needs the right people to buy the club. It’s such a waste for any more incompetence or uncertainty to hinder us.”
And a third fan simply said: “What a $h*t show. Our books must be in an horrendous state.”
