Everton takeover: Keith Wyness reveals ‘biggest sign yet’ over deal completion
Former Everton chief Keith Wyness has revealed he is “very concerned” about 777 Partners’ takeover collapsing.
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 – claimed the “conditions” imposed by the Premier League before a deal can go through show “deep concerns”.
777 Partners struck a takeover agreement with chairman Farhad Moshiri in September last year (2023), but concerns over their sources of funding have delayed Premier League approval.
According to investigative outlet Josimar (23 March), the US-based group must convert more than £300million worth of loans into equity and provide proof of funding for the stadium – as well as funds for this season’s running costs – before the deal is approved.
Everton published their 2022-23 accounts on Sunday (31 March) which revealed a statutory loss of £89.1million.
Everton takeover could collapse as Premier League have ‘deep concerns’, says Wyness
The Merseysiders have already been hit with a six-point deduction this term and could land a further punishment this month for a second breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I’m very concerned that this deal won’t go through.
“It has caused immense uncertainty at the club.
“If those conditions, which have been reported, have indeed been put in place – then that means the Premier League have deep concerns.
“The length of times, eight months since the deal was struck, is the biggest sign that there are concerns about this going through.”
“The noise around 777 has raised far more questions than answers.
“They have given Everton around £200million in loans, so we have to give them full credit for that.
“But I just can’t see the grand masterplan that Josh Wander has got for Everton and the impact it will have on their group.
“We’ve seen how they’ve handled other clubs – in some cases, they have had more and more issues.”
In other news, Everton to be drained of cash by new Premier League takeover demand, says expert.
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