Everton Owners Explore Sale Of Controlling Stake

The Friedkin Group is examining the possibility of selling a controlling interest in Everton, less than two years after completing its purchase of the club.

The American group, chaired by Dan Friedkin, took over in 2024, acquiring 99.5% of Everton and succeeding Farhad Moshiri after a period of financial crisis. The deal was believed to be worth more than £400m.

In a statement, TFG said it was looking at fresh investment routes for Everton, including a potential sale of a controlling stake. It said its initial aim had been to bring stability and investment to a club facing serious uncertainty on and off the field, and to help complete the long-awaited new stadium. With that base established, TFG said it now felt it was the right moment to look at the club’s next phase.

The group said it would only consider interest from buyers it believed could act as proper custodians. It added that it would keep supporting the team and the communities around the club during the process.

The announcement follows growing tension between Everton’s ownership and parts of its support. During the summer window, the club accepted a £40m offer from Nottingham Forest for England Under-19 midfielder Harrison Armstrong, one of its most promising academy products. Everton eventually withdrew from the deal, but the move provoked anger. The later sale of Beto to Fiorentina left manager David Moyes with only one senior recognised striker, 23-year-old Thierno Barry. Iliman Ndiaye had also been sold to Manchester City for £65m.

Moyes, who returned as manager in January 2025, said in September that he had never met or spoken to Dan Friedkin since coming back. Friedkin is based in Houston and has not attended an Everton match during that time. Day-to-day operations are left to his son-in-law Rishi Majithia, working with chief executive Angus Kinnear. That structure strengthened the view among some fans that TFG were absentee owners.

When TFG bought Everton, it spoke of building a sustainable and successful future. Since then, the club’s finances have been steadied and the team has moved into its new stadium, although the project was largely delivered before the takeover. Those changes could make Everton an attractive target for new investors.

Former Everton goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis said on BBC 5 Live Breakfast that the sale exploration came as a shock. She said TFG had stabilised a club that had been in financial turmoil and would leave it in a better condition if they sold. She added that any new owners must be ambitious and thorough, and that Everton fans had already spent too long in an era of financial uncertainty.