Everton New Era: Friedkin Group Finally Takes Over

Everton Football Club has finally concluded its long-drawn-out ownership saga after the Friedkin Group, an American firm, announced the takeover of the club. The deal agreed upon on Thursday, saw the Friedkin Group acquire 94.1% of the majority share from British-Iranian billionaire Farhad Moshiri.

This represents a new chapter in Everton's history as the club embarks on the departure of its storied home Goodison Park next season for a trendy state-of-the-art stadium on the River Mersey. The acquisition puts Everton among ten Premier League clubs that have taken on American ownership.

The incoming executive chairman of Everton, Marc Watts said, "Today is an extraordinary, proud day for The Friedkin Group in accepting the role of custodian to this wonderful football club. We will now focus our efforts toward leading Everton to exciting, new periods on and off the field."

The Friedkin Group, which also owns Serie A's AS Roma, has completed the test of Premier League owners and directors and was approved by the Independent Oversight Panel for the takeover.

Farhad Moshiri's journey with Everton started in 2016 when he bought a 49.9% stake. He had increased his ownership to 94.1% by January 2022 after injecting £100 million in capital. However, the men's team has had a bumpy ride, narrowly avoiding relegation in both 2023 and the previous season, despite collecting eight points in penalties for breaches of Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

Moshiri recognized issues with his tenure but pointed to various gains, such as having opened a new sporting department and stabilizing the finance side. He remains convinced by the management in Friedkin Group, "Handing over to new owners who are confident of outlook on the club and who, our incredible fans are set to see success on the pitch that they deserve fully."

Everton is currently placed at a precarious 16th position in the Premier League, with 15 points after 15 matches. Their next match against Chelsea this Sunday is pivotal as they continue their battle for survival against relegation.