football

Everton takeover: The Friedkin Group have secured approval from Premier League to become club's new owners

The Friedkin Group (TFG) have secured approval from the Premier League to become the new owners of Everton, Sky Sports News understands.

TFG has been undergoing the regulatory process since agreeing a deal to purchase Farhad Moshiri's 94.1 per cent shareholding in the club.

The takeover is now expected to be finalised next week with the Premier League Oversight committee set to rubber stamp the deal.

TFG agreed a deal to acquire a majority stake in Everton in September.

The Friedkin Group, which also owns Roma and is led by American billionaire Dan Friedkin, was close to agreeing a deal to buy Everton last summer, only to announce it had pulled out due to concerns over loans which the club had taken up with other investors.

However, the deal struck between Blue Heaven Holdings - run by Moshiri - and The Friedkin Group has now passed regulatory approval from the Premier League.

Friedkin, who bought Serie A giants Roma in 2020, has an estimated worth of $6.1bn (£4.8bn).

Sky Sports News reporter Alan Myers:

"Moshiri has worked hard to get this deal over the line.

"This deal will leave the club in a better place, certainly from the one he acquired, than many forecasters suggested, thanks to his decision to turn his loans into equity and his tenacious endurance to get the new stadium built in the face of huge challenges - some of them not appreciated by many.

"This will be his legacy. He will admit to making mistakes, of course - and there have been mistakes.

"The club's league position over a number of years tells us that. But if all goes as expected, Everton can look to a brighter future ahead and he will have played his part in that."

There have been many false dawns in the Everton takeover saga but the sun could be just days away from rising once again around the Merseyside club.

The Friedkin Group are expected to become the new owners at Everton next week.

Sky Sports News reporter Alan Myers looks at what we can expect from the Texas-based billionaires when the takeover goes through...

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