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Everton takeover moves closer - here's what it means for Dyche and transfers
The Friedkin Group are increasingly 'optimistic' the process will be completed before Christmas
As one era ends at Everton this weekend, another is moving tantalisingly closer.
The final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park arrives with Everton on the verge of new ownership and – The i Paper has been told – behind-the-scenes work having intensified in the last week in preparation for the arrival of the Friedkin Group at the club.
While next week is viewed as “optimistic” for confirmation that the ill-starred Farhad Moshiri era is over, there is now increasing hope that final regulatory hurdles will be cleared in time to usher billionaire Dan Friedkin in as the new custodian at the start of the week before Christmas.
That feels hugely significant given how close we have come to this point before.
Everton’s debt situation remains tortuously complicated. The year-long flirtation with 777 Partners led to nearly £200m in debt Everton owe being passed to insurers A-CAP who are going through a series of legal battles. But the Friedkins are working on a restructuring plan.
Despite the latest machinations of the A-CAP case this week – they were barred from taking on new business in the US state of Utah over concerns about the club’s financial state (which they dispute) – it is understood that it will not derail or delay the takeover.
Indeed the Friedkins’ first round of due diligence on the club, investigating management structures, integrating the club’s work flows and how the business operates, is complete.
It will result in an immediate announcement of a new-look board, to be followed by an executive team that will be confronted by a series of pressing questions on the football side of the business.
Chief among them is the future of manager Sean Dyche, who oversaw a precious 4-0 win over Wolves that has bought him time and the club space as the takeover approaches.
Things felt as if they were approaching breaking point during the recent home draw with a 10-man Brentford and the fixture list over Christmas makes for frightening reading, with Saturday’s visit of Liverpool followed by a trip to Arsenal, a home game against in-form Chelsea and the Boxing Day game at Manchester City.
Beating Wolves extended the cushion over the bottom three to five points and anything in the next four games is regarded as a bonus.
The i Paper has consistently been told that the Friedkins have not made a decision on Dyche and his coaching team but with the immediate aim of staying in the Premier League ahead of the stadium move all-encompassing, his future still feels uncertain.
He is yet to speak to anyone connected to the new ownership group and his style doesn’t feel like a great fit but an immediate change feels unlikely given the scale of the in-tray the Friedkin Group face, as well as concerns over Everton’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) position.
If they did go down that route there are options. David Moyes would provide a potential alternative although the Friedkins are known to be big fans of the German school of management, so an overseas appointment to re-energise the club is possible.
There are also a slew of contract questions, with Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin the most pressing. An exodus of players is inevitable in the summer but Everton will not want to let assets like Keane – attracting interest from Italy – and Calvert-Lewin go for nothing.
Then there is recruitment. The i Paper has been told transfer plans for January are in the works, with the intention of strengthening the team’s spine. New ownership will give efforts extra urgency but even with the Friedkins’ wealth, PSR is a factor in any business they wish to do.
Jarrad Branthwaite, still searching for his best form since returning from injury, remains on Manchester United’s transfer wish list.
The Friedkins do not intend to make big, bold statements when the deal is finally signed and have learned from their experience at Roma, where their opening gambit included a commitment to make the club “one of the greatest names in world football”.
It was a pithy slogan that excited supporters but has turned out to be an impossible aim and the intention is to err towards under-promising and over-delivering. It is a wise move given how Everton have been burned in the Moshiri era: investment in growing the club, sensible recruitment and funding parts of the business that have been under-resourced is a sane plan and will get credit from most Evertonians.
But with the team still fighting to stay in the Premier League and Dyche not far from fresh scrutiny being trained on his position, they are unlikely to avoid the spotlight for long.
