Everton’s finances have been a topic of discussion that fans on Merseyside have wanted to avoid for a number of years now, but the times are changing.
Finally, it looks as if things behind the scenes at Finch Farm have taken a turn for the better since The Friedkin Group were handed the keys.
Everton have made a bright start to the summer transfer market in signing Thierno Barry from Villarreal, but a lot more has to be done before fans can call it a successful window.
One thing that most fans will already be able to agree on is that brighter times are ahead, with the Friedkins getting Everton’s finances in order during their opening six months on Merseyside.
The Hill Dickinson Stadium is going to totally reshape Everton’s financial landscape, and fans now only have a matter of weeks before they can watch the senior team play their opening game against AS Roma.
Various methods have been identified by Dan Friedkin and co already to squeeze every last penny out of the potential revenue streams on offer for Everton ahead of the 2025/26 campaign kicking off.
Clubs like Chelsea have sold their Women’s team to create PSR headroom. It is something that has certainly sparked controversy, but it is something Everton could well look into over the coming months.
Everton v Burnley - Carabao Cup Fourth Round
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Everton’s sale of Women’s team would provide additional funding
With Premier League clubs always looking to identify new methods of freeing up cash in the days of PSR, the potential sale of the Women’s team is something most clubs will have to consider.
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Everton recently filed updated documents for their Women’s team amid the Old Lady being announced as their new home.
Speaking to Everton News, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has shared the potential upsides that the Friedkins could create in selling their Women’s team.
“It creates flexibility from Everton’s perspective. Either TFG wants to get some additional third-party funding in and get some cash benefit or they want to create even more scope for investment in the playing squad under PSR,” he told Everton News.
“They have some headroom as it stands, but this can be a get-out-of-jail-free card that can be played at any time. This is clearly the route they have gone down. Allowing related-party transactions doesn’t really pass the smell test, but that’s not Everton’s fault. It’s the fault of a particularly weak set of rules.”
It has to be remembered Everton would not be the first Premier League side to exploit the rules by offloading their Women’s team for third-party investment.
Chelsea and Aston Villa have both sold their Women’s teams as a new precedent has been set within the English top flight, as these two clubs take the ‘get-out-of-jail-free card’.
“There is no desire from club owners for the rules to be more rigorous. And therefore, Everton, in my view, are doing the right thing. If it’s okay for Chelsea and Aston Villa to do it, why can’t Everton?” Maguire added.
Interestingly, the potential sale of Everton’s Women’s team would not be accepted by UEFA’s financial regulations if the Blues were to secure European football in the coming years.
Everton have previously received Alisher Usmanov’s third-party funding
Ahead of the Hill Dickinson Stadium opening, Everton have secured a lucrative naming rights deal with the Merseyside firm.
The branding has now been hung around the new state-of-the-art stadium, with the final touches being put on the club’s new home ahead of the Roma friendly.
However, that could have been a very different story after Everton handed Alisher Usmanov first refusal on a potential naming rights deal for the new stadium.
This is something which Maguire has raised after the £35m funding provided the club with some cash to make a managerial change back in 2019.
“Also, you have to remember that Everton have already done something broadly similar in the past when they sold the option for naming rights for the new stadium to Alisher Usmanov for £35m,” he added.
“That allowed them to sack Marco Silva and appoint Carlo Ancelotti.”
Fortunately, Everton’s finances appear to be in more secure hands these days, with John Textor even praising Dan Friedkin in a recent interview.
There have been a lot of ifs and maybes on Merseyside over recent months following the takeover, and it seems more developments could be on the way as the ownership of the Women’s team hangs in the balance.