Everton have become the latest Premier League club to be the subject of a successful takeover as the American-owned Friedkin Group acquired a majority stake in the club.
As a result, Roundhouse Capital Holdings - an entity within the Friedkin Group - have bought Farhad Moshiri's 94 percent stake which will increase to 99.5 percent through debt-to-equity conversions. Owner Dan Friedkin is said to be worth £6.16billion, making him the 363rd richest in the world, and already has Italian giants AS Roma in his catalogue of football clubs.
Everton have been forced to battle tooth-and-nail to remain in the Premier League in recent years. They came close to an exit last term after an unprecedented season saw them earn two point deductions before staying up in the latter stages of the season.
Due to the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability, the Toffees will have to continue to tread carefully in order to avoid losses which tip them back into the red zone and at risk of sanctions. It remains to be seen what it means for Sean Dyche and the transfer spends available but the new owners have committed to building a "sustainable and successful" future for the Merseyside club.
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has a net-worth of $8.5billion (£6.7bn) and is ranked by Forbes as the 333rd richest man in the world. Tottenham chief Joe Lewis is estimated to be worth $6.3billion and charts at 514 on the list, meanwhile both London clubs are way off Arsenal's Stan Kroenke who has a net worth reportedly in the region of $16.9billion and is 18 shy of breaking into the top 100.
With the Blues firmly in the Premier League title race, the morale-boosting development in the North West poses a fresh test for Enzo Maresca's side ahead of their trip to Goodison Park on Sunday (2pm kick-off). Sean Dyche's side ran out 2-0 winners over Chelsea last December after second-half goals from Abdoulaye Doucoure and Lewis Dobbin, but the Londoners fought back and piled on the misery in the reverse fixture.
Cole Palmer scored a first-half hat-trick, before adding a fourth from the spot with 20 minutes remaining, with Nicolas Jackson and Alfie Gilchrist also on the scoresheet in a 6-0 rout.