John Textor has been granted a period of exclusivity to investigate the possibility of purchasing Everton. Farhad Moshiri, the Toffees’ majority stakeholder, has long considered selling the club. Two prior takeover attempts failed in recent months, but a new bidder has surfaced. Textor is an American businessman who now owns a 45% share at Crystal Palace through his Eagle Football Group. Any deal would be subject to him selling those shares, as Premier League rules prohibit him from owning two clubs in the same division.
Textor is said to have hired Raine Group, who handled the sale of Chelsea, to find a buyer for Eagle Football’s interest. Textor told The Athletic in May, “Yes (I’ve had conversations about buying Everton).” The existing elements include various groups, lenders, and equity holders.I asked them, ‘Is there a way to resolve all of this misunderstanding and address everyone’s concerns?’ I’m really open-minded about it, but I don’t want to go into a position where I’m not welcome.” Moshiri, the Toffees’ majority owner since 2018, agreed to sell his 94.1 percent stake to the 777 Group last September.
The parties’ exclusivity period ended, allowing Moshiri to speak with other potential buyers. The Friedkin Group then entered a period of exclusivity in June before pulling out of a transaction. Moshiri decided to sell his ownership in the team amid fan protests and outrage. Last season, Everton was fined eight points for violating the Profitability and Sustainability Rules twice. They were initially punished with ten points in November, but this was later reduced. The Toffees subsequently lost two more points in April. They managed to avoid relegation in the end, with Sean Dyche leading them to a 15th-place finish, four points ahead of the drop.
