Everton could announce '£150m' deal within weeks - Keith Wyness

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted a stadium naming rights sponsor will want to be in place for test events starting next month.

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 any deal should be worth at least £150million over ten years.

Wyness has previously told Football Insider that Qatar Airways would be a “stable, quality advertiser” for Everton's new stadium - and also mooted Toyota as a potential suitor for the rights.

Everton have already confirmed they have fielded naming rights offers for their new stadium, which will open to fans for test events from February.

10,000 fans will take to the stands in the state-of-the-art new build on 17 February for an Under-18s friendly, which will be followed by an Under-21s game in front of 25,000 in late March or early April.

The capacity of the £750million stadium will be 52,888 when it fully opens in time for the 2025-26 season.

Everton stadium naming rights deal could be in place for test events, says Wyness

Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “£150million is a good starting point.

“We’re on track to land a deal of that size, at least, for ten years.

“The sponsor will want to be in for the opening event. All the naming rights deals I’ve done historically have been in place for about a year before the opening.

“That’s when there is a lot of media attention focused on the building.

“Already the Everton Stadium is getting maximum publicity, so I’ve got to say - whoever is taking it on has got to be in there straight away.

“With these test events, they’re going to be all over the media.”

In other news, Everton’s two priority January signings revealed.

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