Everton: The Friedkin Group considers selling club after two years
The Friedkin Group (TFG) is exploring the potential sale of a controlling stake in Everton less than two years after completing a takeover deal worth over £400m in 2024.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The Friedkin Group (TFG) is exploring a potential sale of a controlling stake in Everton.
- TFG completed a takeover of the Premier League club in 2024 in a deal exceeding £400m.
- Fan backlash grew following the attempted sale of youngster Harrison Armstrong and key player departures.
- TFG stated they will only engage with prospective buyers who are the right stewards for the club.
American ownership consortium The Friedkin Group (TFG), led by chairman Dan Friedkin, is exploring new investment options for Everton Football Club, including the potential sale of a controlling interest. This development comes less than two years after the group completed a takeover of the Merseyside club in 2024 in a transaction believed to be worth in excess of £400m, aimed at rescuing the club from severe financial uncertainty and delivering a long-promised stadium for supporters.
However, TFG's leadership faced heavy scrutiny and mounting tension with the fanbase during the summer transfer window. Supporters reacted angrily when news broke that Everton had accepted a £40m bid from Nottingham Forest for teenage midfielder Harrison Armstrong. Although the club ultimately pulled out of that deal, fan frustration persisted following the departures of Beto to Fiorentina and Iliman Ndiaye to Manchester City for £65m, leaving manager David Moyes with only 23-year-old French forward Thierno Barry as the sole recognised senior striker.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Friction was further compounded by a perceived disconnect between the ownership and football operations. In September, manager David Moyes revealed that he had never spoken to Friedkin—who is based in Houston—since returning to the managerial post in January 2025. Friedkin delegates day-to-day operations to his son-in-law Rishi Majithia and chief executive Angus Kinnear, cementing the perception among supporters that TFG operated as absentee owners, contrasting sharply with their more hands-on approach at Italian club AS Roma.
"The Friedkin Group is exploring new investment options for Everton Football Club, including the potential sale of a controlling interest."
The Friedkin Group (TFG)
TFG's decision to evaluate a sale highlights the delicate balance between stabilizing a club financially and satisfying ambitious sporting expectations. While the group successfully rescued Everton from a fiscal crisis and secured their transition into a modern stadium, turbulent transfer windows and communication gaps with the fanbase strained their tenure. Finding a buyer who can navigate these pressures will be critical for the club's next chapter.
TFG emphasized that they will only entertain interest from parties capable of acting as the right stewards to carry the club forward. While their tenure will likely be viewed as unspectacular outside of financial stabilization and stadium delivery, supporters ultimately hope that prospective new owners will prioritize aggressive sporting ambition to end a prolonged era of financial turbulence.
Source: BBC Sport
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