Everton already has a new owner

The Friedkin group got ahead of the American businessman and secured the acquisition of 94% of the English emblem

Everton has already found a new owner.

Liverpool club made it official this Monday that the Freidkin group, current owner of Roma, reached an agreement to acquire 94% of the club from Blue Heaven Holding and is now awaiting approval from the Premier League , the English football association and the English financial conduct authority.

“We are delighted to have reached an agreement to become the sole owners of this iconic football club. We are focused on obtaining the necessary approvals to complete the transaction. We look forward to providing stability to the club and sharing our vision for its future, including the completion of Everton ’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock,” the future owners of the Toffees wrote in a short statement released on the club’s media channels.

Negotiations to acquire the English club were long and involved several parties.

According to BBC Sport , the company led by Dan Fredkin had begun negotiations for the acquisition last June, but these were called off a month later after the two parties failed to reach an agreement. The decision was based on legal uncertainty surrounding the £200 million loan that 777 Partners, the first company to reach an agreement earlier this year, is said to have granted.

Once the deal was cancelled, Eagle Football followed, owned by the American businessman and owner of Lyon and Botafogo, John Textor, who even stated that he had a «qualified period of exclusivity during the month of August» to develop negotiations and that he had until November to finalize the deal.

However, the major obstacle was the fact that he owned 45% of Crystal Palace and the Premier League rule that prohibits the possibility of a company/businessman owning two clubs. This caused the Friedkin group to return to the negotiating table and finalize an agreement, which has now been confirmed.