Everton FC have reportedly reached a preliminary agreement with The Friedkin Group for a takeover of the Premier League club.
The Friedkin Group’s Chairman, Dan Friedkin, is reportedly in discussions to acquire Farhad Moshiri’s 94% majority stake in Everton. The club’s majority shareholder is expected to grant Friedkin a period of exclusivity.
Friedkin, with an estimated net worth of £4.81bn , has owned Italian club AS Roma since 2020, having purchased the Serie A side for £552m. Under his ownership, the team won the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022 and were runners-up in the UEFA Europa League final the following year.
The aforementioned period of exclusivity will allow the group’s Chairman to finalise a deal amid numerous reports of other potential buyers.
Other interested parties reportedly included UK-based investment firm Vici Private Finance, US company MSP Sports Capital, along with local businessmen Andy Bell and George Downing, according to the BBC.
The BBC has also reported that Friedkin plans to establish a multi-club model, positioning both Everton and Roma at the top, with The Friedkin Group also acquiring French lower-league club AS Cannes last year.
Although Moshiri will be hoping that the period of exclusivity will help seal the deal over the line, supporters of the club will not want a repeat of the last potential owner, 777 Partners.
A deal with 777 Partners fell through last month, however, the club could not entertain any new offers until 1 June due to a period of exclusivity.
After a long, drawn-out purchase finally fell through following a challenging year in the Premier League, which featured multiple point deductions and a lot of uncertainty, the club’s fortunes look to be changing.
Recently, Everton agreed a club-record technical partnership with Castore that will see the sportswear brand become the first founding partner of the club’s new stadium, with work set to finish on the 52,888-capacity waterfront stadium in December.
Reports indicate that official news regarding the sale is expected to be released within the next 48 hours.
