Everton owner The Friedkin Group open to full sale of club

Why the Friedkins might walk away

The Friedkin Group is open to a full sale of Everton, just months after agreeing to buy the Premier League club. While the Texas-based consortium led by billionaire Dan Friedkin initially promised stability, reports have emerged that they are already looking for an exit. A report in the Financial Times recently revealed they were seeking outside investment, and it now appears they are willing to sell their stake entirely.

This potential sale goes a long way to explaining Everton's quiet transfer window. The club finished 15th in Premier League net spend, raising more than £100 million on deadline day by selling players like Iliman Ndiaye, Beto, Tim Iroegbunam, and Nathan Patterson. They were one of just six top-flight clubs to record a trading profit.

A franchise approach to football

Kieran Maguire, a football finance expert at the University of Liverpool Management School, believes this frugal approach is part of a deliberate exit strategy. He suggests the Friedkins are running Everton like a typical American sports franchise—keeping debt low and balancing the books to make the club highly attractive to future buyers.

"Ultimately, The Friedkin Group are American sports franchise investors and investors, by definition, are looking for a return on their investment," Maguire said. Running the club cleanly, boosting revenues for a couple of years, and then selling "could form part of a broader strategy," he added.

But keeping the squad on a tight budget is a major gamble. Maguire warned that this strategy relies heavily on Everton staying in the Premier League. He questioned whether the Friedkins are testing the absolute minimum they can spend while still avoiding relegation. If newly promoted clubs put together strong runs, Everton could quickly find themselves in danger.

Leveraging the new stadium

The main driver behind Everton's long-term value is their new 52,769-capacity stadium on the Mersey waterfront. While leaving Goodison Park is a painful move for supporters, the new ground is expected to transform the club's finances.

Matchday income at Goodison was less than £1 million per game. The new stadium could eventually bring in an extra £60 million a year, though Maguire warns this is a "stretch target" for the opening season. Crucially, under the Premier League's financial rules, every additional £1 million in revenue allows the club to add £850,000 to its playing budget.

A lack of personal touch

While the financials are being tightly managed, fans are noticing a distinct lack of personal connection from the top. The 61-year-old Dan Friedkin has yet to attend an Everton match, choosing instead to send his son-in-law, Rishi Majithia, to represent the group at home games.

This hands-off style is a complete contrast to Friedkin's behaviour at Roma, the Italian club he also owns. In Rome, the billionaire is a highly visible figure, famously piloting the private jets that brought Jose Mourinho and Romelu Lukaku to the city, and celebrating their 2022 European trophy on an open-top bus.

Maguire pointed out that supporters expect more than just financial management. Owners who show emotional investment are usually given more patience by the fans. Without that connection, Everton fans are left to wonder if their club is being built to compete, or simply dressed up for a quick sale.