‘Difficult’: Keith Wyness reveals the major obstacle facing Everton’s new hierarchy
Everton could face disappointment if they qualify for European competition this season due to multi-club ownership rules.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, amid UEFA’s deadline for clubs to comply with multi-club rules set for March 1st.
The Friedkin Group own a majority stake in both Italian club Roma, who currently occupy the final Champions League spot in Serie A, and Everton.
Everton are hoping to qualify for Europe through the Premier League standings, with David Moyes’ side currently eight points off fifth-placed Chelsea in ninth.
Keith Wyness drops verdict on Everton and Roma multi-club problem
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claims it is a “pretty remote chance” that Everton and Roma both qualify for the same European competition this season.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks The Friedkin Group won’t be able to come to a “proper solution” over owning both clubs now before UEFA’s deadline.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “And one set of fans and one club is going to be disappointed. And I don’t know which one that would be.
“We’d have to review it at the time, but probably under the rules, if Roma were higher up, then they’d be the one that would get the competition. But I think we still have got to look at it pretty remotely as a chance that they’ll both be in the same competition, in which case there’s no problem.
“But if it does happen, I think that this is going to be a difficult case for the Friedkins to resolve by March the 1st. I think it’s going to take longer than that to come to a proper solution.”
Everton hoping to end long European wait
Everton have not qualified for European competition since the 2017-18 season, with Moyes looking to end that wait this season.
Back-to-back Premier League defeats though to Bournemouth and Manchester United have dented their hopes of European football.
With 11 Premier League games left, it will take a strong end to the season for Everton to break into the top five, which may be a step too far for Moyes’ squad.