Everton owners consider selling club two years after takeover

Everton owners The Friedkin Group (TFG) are exploring the sale of the club less than two years after taking control.

The American group completed a takeover of the club in 2024 in a deal believed to be worth in excess of £400m.

In a statement, TFG said after prioritising stability, investment and the opening of Everton's new stadium last year, the time is right "to consider the next chapter".

"The Friedkin Group is exploring new investment options for Everton Football Club, including the potential sale of a controlling interest," TFG said.

"When TFG became custodians of Everton, the club faced significant financial uncertainty and challenges both on and off the pitch. The immediate priority was to provide the stability, investment and support needed to secure the club's future, including helping to bring the long-promised stadium to completion for its deserving supporters.

"With that foundation now safely in place, the time is right to consider the next chapter for Everton."

TFG, led by chairman Dan Friedkin, outlined a vision for a "sustainable and successful" future for the club when they took over, but its leadership came under scrutiny during the summer transfer window.

In September, David Moyes said he had never met or spoken to Friedkin, who is based in Houston, since returning as manager in January 2025.

Friedkin leaves the day-to-day running of the club to his son-in-law Rishi Majithia, who works in tandem with chief executive Angus Kinnear.

Fans reacted angrily when news broke that Everton had accepted a £40m bid from Nottingham Forest for one of their prized assets, England Under-19 midfielder Harrison Armstrong.

Everton eventually pulled out of the deal, but supporters remained frustrated by the selling of Beto to Fiorentina shortly after.

The move left the Toffees with just one recognisable striker in 23-year-old Frenchman Thierno Barry.

TFG added that they will only "entertain interest from parties who we strongly believe will be the right stewards to take the club forward".

"Throughout this process, TFG's focus will remain unchanged. We will support the club in all ways necessary to achieve success on the pitch and will continue efforts to make a positive difference in the communities the club serves," the statement continued.

'An unspectacular tenure' - analysis

The decision of Everton's owners TFG to explore selling the club comes as no great surprise after the turbulent events of recent times.

A fracture opened up between TFG and Everton's fanbase over the controversial attempt to sell highly-rated teenager Armstrong late in the transfer window, before a botched deadline day left manager Moyes with only 18 senior outfield players.

The failed sale of Armstrong, as well as the departure of Iliman Ndiaye to Manchester City for £65m, was bolted on to a cautious approach to the markets that suggested limited ambition on the part of TFG.

It was in sharp contrast to the more hands-on approach at AS Roma, the other club owned by TFG, who bring in the additional riches of playing in the Champions League.

Moyes revealing he had never spoken to Friedkin, who has not attended an Everton game since the Scot was reappointed as manager 21 months ago, strengthened the belief among supporters that TFG were effectively absentee owners.

TFG secured a deal for 99.5% of the club, succeeding former owner Farhad Moshiri in 2024 after Everton had fallen into financial crisis.

Since then, TFG have put the club on a stable financial footing and Everton have moved into a new stadium - although this was effectively done before their takeover - and have made the club an attractive proposition to potential buyers.

This will be TFG's main achievement in what will, when Everton is sold, be regarded as an unspectacular tenure.

'It's come as a shock' - Brown-Finnis

Speaking on 5 Live Breakfast, former Everton goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis described TFG's plans to sell the club as a "shock".

"It's come as a bit of a shock. They have stabilised the club. There was so much financial uncertainty when they arrived, it's felt like a turbulent time," said Brown-Finnis.

"We [Everton] have a stadium to be crazily proud of, it's going to generate revenue from a commercial point of view.

"If the Friedkin Group sells up tomorrow, they have left the club in a much better place. I just hope that they do their due diligence.

"I hope the new owners want to drive the club forward. Everton fans have spent too much time in a financially turbulent era."