Everton takeover: what John Textor has said about buying the club from Moshiri and potential timeframe
The Crystal Palace part-owner is again keen to complete an Everton takeover.
John Textor is back in the fray to complete an Everton takeover.
The American, who is a co-owner of the Toffees’ Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, was previously keen to purchase Farhad Moshiri’s 94.1% stake. However, Textor withdrew his bid after former prospective buyers 777 Partners’ takeover collapsed.
But with the Friedkin Group pulling the plug on their transaction, having been given exclusivity rights by Moshiri, Textor has come back to the table. The Guardian reports he has offered the same terms as previously.
Textor would need to sell his 45% stake in Palace, which is through his company Eagle Football Holdings. They also own French outfit Lyon, who finished sixth in Ligue 1 last season and recently sold defender Jake O’Brien to Everton.
Textor gave an interview to The Athletic in May when 777’s deal was hanging by a thread and declared that he wanted to return the Toffees to their ‘past glory’. He said: “Yes (I’ve had conversations around buying Everton), with the existing constituents – different groups, different lenders, different equity holders. I’m watching it, but 777 still has a contract. There are people that are close to the club, who care a lot about it, who are also investing.
“Everton represents the best of English football: the struggles, the glory, the want. I love that it’s out of London. Everybody should want to buy Everton right now. That kind of club is what I’m referring to. How great would it be to take one of these great English clubs back to sort of glory?
“I suspect the problem with Everton is it won’t be available by the time we would be ready for it. We’re not going to rush the situation at Palace, no matter how good another opportunity looks.”
The Guardian reports that Textor is ‘confident that arranging a financing deal for Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore dock could allow him to delay a prospective takeover until as late as January’.
Former LA Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone is leading a consortium that is weighing up a fresh bid for Everton.