The Friedkin Group have now officially completed their takeover of Everton Football Club, ending the reign of Farhad Moshiri.
It's been a hectic few months for Everton supporters as they've anxiously waited to see the direction their club is heading in. Moshiri, a former Arsenal shareholder, first bought a stake in the Toffees back in 2016 before eventually acquiring 94.1% of the Merseyside club.
Earlier this year, The Friedkin Group agreed a deal with Blue Heaven Holdings for a majority stake in Everton, and after the process of approval from the relevant authorities, the takeover has now been completed.
Everton Confirm Friedkin Takeover
Dan Friedkin introduces Marc Watts
General view of Everton's Goodison Park
In an official statement, Everton have now confirmed that the club has been acquired by Roundhouse Capital Holdings Limited, part of The Friedkin Group...
"Everton Football Club has been acquired by Roundhouse Capital Holdings Limited (Roundhouse), an entity within The Friedkin Group (TFG). The transaction was finalised following an agreement between Farhad Moshiri’s Blue Heaven Holdings (BHH) and Roundhouse for the sale of BHH’s majority stake in the Club.The deal received the necessary regulatory approvals from the Premier League, Women’s Professional Leagues Limited, the Football Association, and the Financial Conduct Authority."
Dan Friedkin, who is the Chairman and CEO of The Friedkin Group, is proposed to the Chairman of the Board. Marc Watts has been appointed as Executive Chairman, and he will be responsible in this role for the management of the club. Ana Dunkel, TFG’s Chief Financial Officer and Colin Chong, the Club’s interim CEO will also serve on the Board. Additional appointments will be confirmed in the coming weeks, while TFG are believed to have purchased 98.8% of the club.
The deal received the necessary regulatory approvals from the Premier League, Women’s Professional Leagues Limited, the Football Association, and the Financial Conduct Authority.
Marc Watts Writes Open Letter to Everton Fans
"Dear Evertonians,
We are proud to be the new custodians of your Club. Together, we will usher Everton into a new era, one that is marked by ambition and professionalism. As stewards of Everton, we look forward to showing our commitment to the Club through actions, not words. We believe there are exceptional people working in the Club. The resilience and commitment shown to get through a challenging period in Everton’s history has been inspiring to see and provides a great foundation for us to build on.
The Friedkin Group will take a focused approach, one that is driven by innovation and business experience. Our long-term vision is to harness the passion of fans and great qualities of the Club to realise Everton’s full potential. Our goals are clear:
Strengthening the men’s first-team squad through thoughtful and strategic investment.
Cultivating home-grown superstars through Everton’s Academy.
Fostering a distinct on-pitch and commercial strategy for the women’s team.Respecting the Club’s traditions and keeping Everton at the heart of the community.
Maximising the potential of the new stadium through long-term commercial partnerships and events that benefit the city of Liverpool.
Enhancing Everton’s reputation as a unique and historical name in world football.
In the short term, we understand the Club has faced significant challenges on and off-the-pitch for several years. That’s why our immediate priority is stabilising the club and improving results on the pitch. We have provided an injection of capital to ensure the completion of the new stadium. The transaction has seen most of Everton’s debt either converted to equity, repaid or refinanced on terms more favourable to the stability of the Club. Whilst there is much work to be done, and PSR remains a limiting factor in the short term, the underlying financial position is now much stronger.
On the pitch, we have a lot still to fight for this season and our energies are now focused on maximising the remaining time to drive results. We’re pleased that Colin Chong has agreed to remain in his interim position while we finalise the appointment of a new permanent CEO, which we will update you on in due course. We want to thank Colin, the leadership team and everyone at Everton for their hard work and support.
We also want to thank Farhad Moshiri for his cooperation during the transition and facilitating a new start for Everton.
The road ahead of us is long and there will be further challenges to come, but we are committed to living by Everton’s motto: nil satis nisi optimum.
Marc Watts,Executive Chairman, Everton Football Club."
Statement From Dan Friedkin
"Dear Evertonians,
Following the completion of the takeover of Everton Football Club, I want to express my gratitude for your continued support and introduce the incoming Executive Chairman of Everton, Marc Watts. I take immense pride in welcoming one of England’s most historic football clubs to our global family, The Friedkin Group. Everton represents a proud legacy, and we are honoured to become custodians of this great institution.
The Friedkin Group is a diverse family of companies with a global footprint spanning industries such as sports, automotive, entertainment, hospitality, and adventure. Across all our endeavours, we strive to deliver extraordinary experiences that ignite people’s passions. We are thrilled to bring this ethos to Everton and the Liverpool City Region
Whilst we are new to the Club, we fully understand the vital role Everton plays in local culture, history, and the lives of Evertonians here and around the world. We are deeply committed to honouring this legacy while contributing positively to the community, economy, and people of this remarkable city.
Once again, thank you for your continued support.
Yours sincerely,Dan Friedkin."
Farhad Moshiri Provides Parting Statement
Farhad Moshiri, the outgoing majority shareholder, stated:
“I truly believe that the transaction with The Friedkin Group is the best outcome for the Club and its future success. There has been a huge team effort in getting to this stage and I would like to personally thank my Board colleagues John Spellman and Colin Chong and all the senior management team including Katie, James, Richard and of course Kevin and Sean for their huge commitment to the Club. Despite a challenging geopolitical backdrop, a significant amount has been achieved over the last couple of years including the delivery of a new sporting department, the stabilisation of our finances and the delivery of our iconic new stadium. I now hand over to new owners confident in the outlook for the Club and that our incredible fans will see the success on the pitch that they so thoroughly deserve.”
New Era Begins at Everton
TFG were quick to outline priorities
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri and Roma owner Dan Friedkin in front of Goodison Park
With all approvals now received, Everton are set to enter a new era under The Friedkin Group. There looks set to be a senior TFG delegation at the Chelsea game this weekend, but Dan Friedkin isn't expected to attend himself.
With TFG already outlining key areas and improvements they already plan on implementing, they clearly understand the difficulties Everton have been going through over the last few years. Hopefully for Evertonians, exciting times are ahead for the club.