Everton takeover: Keith Wyness shares emphatic John Textor update
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted John Textor must provide more answers about how the takeover is going to be structured if there is a potential delay.
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 – suggested there could be some concerns if there are several steps that need to happen before the American can complete the deal.
Textor has entered a period of exclusivity to buy owner Farhad Moshiri’s 94.1-per-cent stake at Goodison Park.
But one complication is the 58-year-old’s 45-per-cent stake in Crystal Palace, with Premier League rules forbidding ownership of two clubs in the same division.
The Guardian reported on 21 August Textor is confident that arranging a financing deal for Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock could allow him to delay completing the takeover until as late as January.
Everton fans could accept delay if plans are revealed
Wyness believes January could be seen as an acceptable timeframe for the conclusion of the takeover if a well-planned road map is provided.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “There is no pressing need financially to have it done before January.
“The most important thing is that the parties involved do speak to the fanbase and explain what the sort of structure will be.
“I don’t think there is any issue in waiting a few months to complete everything. He obviously will pass the owners’ and directors’ test, so that isn’t an issue.
“If there is a reason why there is a delay in terms of the structuring of the deal, we need to know what that is and how it will be resolved.
“It can’t be left open ended, more questions have to be answered before it happens in January.
“If it’s just administrative reasons for the delay, people will accept that.
“But if it’s left open ended and there are still a lot of questions to be answered and they are waiting for certain things to happen before we can reach the end point, then I think there would be more concern.
“If we have a well-planned road map, then I think everyone would think January is acceptable.”
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