Keith Wyness reacts as Evangelos Marinakis beats Everton to key deal
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted missing out on Nottingham Forest-bound executive Lina Souloukou is not a blow for the Toffees.
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 he would like to see someone with more experience of the Merseysiders and in the Premier League take the CEO job.
Souloukou, who worked with The Friedkin Group (TFG) at Roma before her resignation this season, had been linked with a reunion with the Americans at Everton as the club’s new CEO.
Colin Chong holds the role in an interim capacity at Goodison Park following Denise Barrett-Baxendale’s exit last year (2023).
However, Souloukou is now reportedly (The Athletic, 7 December) set to be appointed to the CEO role within Evangelos Marinakis’ multi-club network – with a particular focus on Nottingham Forest.
She has previously worked with the Greek billionaire at Olympiakos.
Souloukou was not suited to Everton, says Wyness
Reacting to the news, Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I don’t think it’s a blow for Everton.
“She worked for Marinakis before at Olympiakos, she’s known him for a long time.
“He is now looking to expand into South America as well, so that makes sense.
“I think it may have been a bit of a big move for her to come to Everton.
“I would have probably wanted a CEO with more knowledge of the club and experience in English football.
“It’s okay. Good luck to her at Nottingham Forest, she’s got a good reputation and it will suit her to go back to someone she knows in Marinakis.”
In other news, Friedkin hatches plan to keep Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Everton.
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