The takeover saga has rumbled on for well over two years, with Friedkin one of five parties to have entered into exclusive talks with Farhad Moshiri in that time.
But the Friedkin takeover will relieve the strain significantly, reducing the club’s enormous debt burden and clearing the runway for Everton to land at their new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock next season.
To explore what the future looks like for Everton in the Friedkin era, TRB Footballspoke exclusively to Liverpool University football finance lecturer, Price of Football author, and industry insider Kieran Maguire.
Given the extent of the issues at Everton, what will be Friedkin’s top priorities after the deal to buy the club from Moshiri is complete?
Maguire pointed to a combination of addressing regulatory issues, getting on top of recruitment, and Everton’s imminent PSR hearing, which could yield their third points deduction in two seasons.
“If and when Dan Friedkin takes over, I suspect there will be two lists, one longer than the other.
“One will be the players that the managers and the director of football would like to purchase in an ideal environment. The other will be a list of players that Everton can actually afford to buy given their position under PSR.
“There is still an outstanding charge against Everton with regards to the way that interest has been borrowed for the Bramley Moore Dock project.
“That is very much relating to a relatively narrow interpretation of accounting rules and the capitalisation of loans, but it could impact Everton this season.
“Although, I’m sure that fans will be buoyed by their victory over Crystal Palace.”
It has been almost two years since Everton commissioned a specialist agency to find a naming rights partner for the Bramley Moore Dock stadium.
Under Moshiri, Everton have previously been in talks with Qatar Airways, and the club have also struck several ‘founding partner’ deals with the likes of Castore and Aramark.
And with £150m potentially on the line as part of the minimum 10-year deal wanted by Everton CEO Colin Chong, Maguire insists that the naming rights will be top of the agenda for Friedkin post-takeover.
“I think it’s essential to have a naming rights partner at the opening of the new stadium.
Be the first to comment