Everton FC says it will ‘assess all options for future ownership’ as proposed deal for 777 Partners to buy the club collapses. Tony McDonough reports
Everton FC majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri will begin a search for a new buyer for the club after his deal with 777 Partners collapsed.
In October 2023, 777 agreed a deal with Mr Moshiri to buy his Blue Heaven Holdings vehicle which owns a 94% stake in Everton. However, he set a deadline of 5am on Saturday to show they had the funds. Now that deadline has passed without resolution.
In a statement on Saturday morning, Everton said: “The agreement between 777 Partners and Blue Heaven Holdings Limited for the sale and purchase of the majority shareholding in the club expired today.
“The club’s board of directors recognises the considerable level of financial support 777 Partners has provided the Club over recent months and would like to take this opportunity to thank them for this.
“The club will continue to operate as usual, while it works with Blue Heaven Holdings to assess all options for the club’s future ownership.
“The board of directors would like to thank everyone connected to Everton for their patience over recent months and reiterate its commitment to providing further updates when it is appropriate to do so through the club’s official communication channels.”
Mr Moshiri took a controlling stake of the club in 2016 and is believed to have invested around £750m into Everton over the past few years. However, on the pitch this money has not yielded much success.
Despite the hiring of several new managers and significant sums spent on players, the club’s fortunes have gone backwards. They narrowly escaped relegation from the Premier League for two seasons in a row.
The most recent season saw an improvement in fortunes on the pitch, despite being docked eight points for two separate breaches of the Premier league’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Mr Moshiri granted Miami-based 777 an extension in February to complete the deal. In May the Premier League wrote to both stating 777 must provide proof of funds and turn its £200m loan to Everton into equity.
It also wanted proof that the firm could pay off a £158m loan owed to MSP Sports Capital. But in the last few weeks 777 has appointed restructuring experts as it looked to cut costs. This put significant doubt on the Everton deal.
Everton is currently building a £750m new stadium on Liverpool waterfront from where it will kick off the 2025/26 football season. Fans will hope the ownership situation is resolved by then.