Everton takeover talks: Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson have very different Peter Kenyon views

He's worked for two of the biggest clubs in the Premier League - and arguably during their most fruitful spells.

So when news emerged that Peter Kenyon was involved in a potential takeover of Everton, his name was familiar to plenty.

Kenyon is leading the consortium hoping to purchase the Toffees from Farhad Moshiri, with the group reportedly being given a period of exclusivity to undertake due diligence.

The Cheshire-born businessman is director of football consultancy business Opto Advisers, with America-based duo Maciek Kaminski and John Thornton said to also be involved.

Kenyon is known most for his time as chief executive of Chelsea and Manchester United in the 2000s.

Indeed, he was poached by from Old Trafford by the Londoners in 2003 after Roman Abramovich's takeover.

‘Top level’

At Stamford Bridge, Kenyon helped appoint Jose Mourinho as manager, which would prove a huge success. The Portuguese would lead Chelsea to back-to-back top-flight titles in 2005 and 200.

And speaking to beIN Sport in 2019, Mourinho lauded Kenyon as a CEO at the 'top level'.

Mourinho said: “I arrived and had an owner in love with the game and his new club.

“I worked with a CEO, Peter Kenyon, who was absolutely top level.

“The interaction between us three was incredible and I was super happy and need to be super happy. I like to be on fire and in love with everything that surrounds me.

"It was 10 or 15 years ago but we had the proper structure.

“Nowadays, some people think it's just about some money to spend, some players to buy, some good facilities to have and that is not enough.”

‘Unable to deliver on some of the most important tasks’

Being a lifelong Man Utd fan, it was a shock when Kenyon departed for Chelsea.

He had helped elevate the Red Devils to become one of the biggest clubs in the world by securing lucrative commercial deals and growing their status in Asia.

Sir Alex Ferguson, of course, was the Old Trafford helm at the time, with the pair signing the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastián Verón.

Yet in his autobiography released in 2013, the Scot claimed Kenyon was unable to deliver some important tasks.

Ferguson, via the Manchester Evening News, said: “Peter, I felt, tried to take on too much and consequently was unable to deliver on some of the most important tasks.

“The expertise you need in a chief executive role is a talent for completing missions.”

One of those, seemingly, was missing out on signing Ronaldinho.

The Brazil legend instead opted to join Barcelona in 2003.

Speaking to the News of the World, via Sky Sports, Ferguson said: “It was disappointing not to get Ronaldinho.

“There was a problem with his brother, who was his agent, but Peter Kenyon, who was chief executive then, didn't get the job done.

“There have been others - like Alan Shearer and Paul Gascoigne - but we did get Eric Cantona for example.

“We are constantly in search for the player who will make the difference.”