The Friedkin Group Agrees to Purchase Majority Stake in Everton FC

The Friedkin Group has reached an agreement to purchase Farhad Moshiri’s majority 94% stake in Everton Football Club, subject to regulatory approval from the Premier League, the Football Association, and the Financial Conduct Authority. This development marks the potential end of Moshiri’s ownership tenure, during which he invested over £750 million in the club.

The US-based consortium, led by chairman Dan Friedkin, already owns Serie A side AS Roma. Friedkin, an American billionaire with a net worth estimated at £5.7 billion, expressed a commitment to maintaining stability and supporting the club’s growth, stating, “We are pleased to have reached an agreement to become custodians of this iconic football club.” The group emphasized their dedication to completing the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

This acquisition would see Everton become the 10th Premier League club under American ownership. The Friedkin Group had initially sought exclusivity for negotiations in June, which was followed by a period of uncertainty involving Miami-based 777 Partners and American businessman John Textor‘s attempted bids. However, the deal with 777 Partners fell apart, and Textor could not proceed due to Premier League restrictions preventing the ownership of multiple clubs.

Everton has experienced a challenging period, both financially and on the pitch. They finished in the league’s lower half for the last three seasons and faced point deductions for breaching Premier League financial loss rules. The team, managed by Sean Dyche, currently finds itself joint-bottom after a difficult start to the season.

Despite the acquisition of Everton, the Friedkin Group assures that its investment in Roma remains unaffected. They stated that each club in their portfolio functions independently, with AS Roma continuing to be central to their football ambitions.

The conclusion of this deal would bring an end to the tumultuous era of Moshiri’s stewardship, which saw numerous managerial changes and financial struggles accentuated by external factors, such as USM Holdings’ ties to oligarch Alisher Usmanov, who had sanctions imposed by the European Union amid geopolitical tensions.