Jamie Carragher defends Farhad Moshiri and reacts to 777 Partners Everton takeover hopes

Jamie Carragher has sympathised with former Everton owner Farhad Moshiri and issued his reservations over the potential takeover by 777 Partners.

Writing in his column in the Telegraph, he cast his opinion on the prolonged and frustrating nature of Everton’s takeover which has been in limbo for most of the season. Originally, the Miami-based investment firm were meant to have completed their bid around Christmas but, five months later, there’s still no movement.

Previous reports claimed 777 co-owner Josh Wander had met with the Premier League last month to help push through a deal and ‘desperately’ wants the move to go through. However, they were being held back by a £158m loan repayment.

Carragher wrote: “It has been seven months since Moshiri agreed to sell to 777. Since then, everything about the American investors screams danger, countless stories appearing to cast doubts about their fitness to assume control of such an established institution, which is in urgent need of financial backing.

“The more questions are asked of 777, the more suspicion grows that the Premier League is in a difficult position, eager for the necessary guarantees Everton will not face further financial trouble and wary of approving the wrong bid.”

Furthermore, he went on to explain how after writing an article on Everton being the ‘worst run club’ in England led to a phone call with then chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale and led to him re-evaluating his opinion on Moshiri. “By the end of the conversation, my anger and incredulity at how Everton was being run was balanced by a touch of sympathy for Moshiri. He cuts a tragic Premier League figure.

“To use a well-known Liverpool phrase, he has ‘had his kecks pulled down’ by the football industry. His intentions when buying Everton were noble, but the evidence suggests he has been used as a cash cow by agents and players. There is guilt by association for everyone who followed Moshiri’s dream and turned a blind eye to the red flags as the club overspent and began to rely too heavily on his business relationship with Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov.”

Sean Dyche has battled points deductions which have threatened to undo his hard work this season with a limited squad and he, alongside everyone who follows Everton, will be hoping for a peaceful solution to their ownership and financial problems as soon as possible.