Everton takeover: Keith Wyness drops big update – announcement soon
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness is hoping Dan Friedkin’s takeover will be completed before the end of the transfer window.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – revealed he is expecting to hear news of the due diligence process being completed soon.
The Friedkin Group has agreed a deal in principle to take on Farhad Moshiri’s 94.1 per cent stake at Goodison Park after 777 Partners’ deal fell through.
The US firm is currently doing its due diligence before it will have to pass the Premier League’s owners’ and directors’ test.
Everton takeover could be completed in weeks
Wyness suggested the necessary paperwork has likely already been filed with the governing body as the group looks to speed up the takeover process.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I know that the deal with Friedkin is not yet done.
“We are hoping that because it’s quiet everything is proceeding well. I’m still hopeful it’s going to be fairly soon in terms of announcing due diligence has been completed.
“I know there will be issues still that they have to look into. There is a lot of history to look into and you have got to look in all these dark corners of the club’s accounts.
“They will be looking at Moshiri as well in terms of where the money has gone.
“They have obviously got a very experienced team who have done due diligence before on major clubs. They understand the football landscape, so they know what they are looking for.
“Once that’s done, then it will be about the Premier League.
“I assume the papers will already have been filed with the Premier League. That should be a fairly straightforward decision.
“I have always felt it would be before the season starts and sooner rather than later.
“I’m hoping if everything went really well, we would be looking at some time towards the end of the transfer window or the start of the season.
“That would be a great move.”
In other news, West Ham and Everton make moves to sign Serie A star.
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