Everton’s prospective owners the Friedkin Group have begun the search for big hitters to join their Goodison Park revolution, with a comprehensive audit of the club underway.
i understands the group, a consortium owned by billionaire businessman Dan Friedkin, hopes to have cleared regulatory hurdles by December and want to be in a position to “hit the ground running” when the takeover is confirmed. So far, it’s understood, the process is progressing as planned with no red flags raised.
It’s expected that with Everton’s Premier League status precarious there will be room for investment in the January transfer window, as well as fresh impetus in contract talks that have been paused while the takeover progresses – but with no decisions made on the future of manager Sean Dyche or director of football Kevin Thelwell the more immediate, noticeable impact may be off the field at first.
Indeed i has been told a process of identifying areas of the club that need to be strengthened has already begun, with a recognition from the group that Everton is currently an “exceptionally lean operation”. They have been operating with an interim CEO – Colin Chong – since June 2023 and insiders admit they are “light on C-suite experience” in the building.
The Friedkin plan is for a “rebuild” of neglected areas and i can reveal that the group hope to recruit externally, with no current plans to shift people from roles at Roma, the club they bought in 2020.
While Ryan Friedkin – a huge fan of English football who has been enthusiastic about the group’s investment in Everton – is likely to help oversee the club’s new era there are no plans for him to relinquish his role as vice-chair at Roma and relocate to Merseyside.
He is acting as interim CEO at the Stadio Olimpico after Lina Souloukou’s departure and the group are at pains to stress they remain committed to the Serie A side.
Instead it is more likely that a heavyweight senior management team is put in place and empowered to carry out their vision.
The Friedkins may turn again to the highly-rated football consultancy Retexo Intelligence, who help clubs identify and place backroom staff as well as evaluating club academies, sales strategies and “organisational and departmental structures”.
i understands that Retexo founder Charles Gould – who also offers a service around mergers and acquisitions – has been a trusted advisor of the group in the past and is set to aid the Everton restructure.
There was further evidence that the takeover is progressing with the Friedkins setting up Roundhouse Capital Holdings Limited last week, an acquisition vehicle for the Everton takeover. It named two directors – Analaura Moreira-Dunkel and Marcus Watts – who are long-standing Friedkin Group employees.
The group are also relaxed about court proceedings in New York between Leadenhall Capital Partners and A-Cap, the firm that has taken over 777 Partners’ £200m loan to the club. Investigative website Josimar reports the Friedkin Group have agreed a deal worth £66m and “preferred equity” with A-Cap – and that must be approved by Leadenhall for the takeover to be passed.
Friedkin sources maintain they are “very confident” the deal will be approved by the court and Leadenhall, one of the final pieces in a complicated takeover jigsaw.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/wBMJmA0
Post a Comment