Everton's owners, The Friedkin Group, have confirmed they are considering selling a controlling stake in the club, less than two years after completing their takeover.
The Texas-based group, led by chairman Dan Friedkin, took control of Everton in December 2024 in a deal reportedly worth more than £400m, bringing an end to the troubled ownership of Farhad Moshiri. In a statement released on Friday, TFG said it was now exploring "new investment options for Everton Football Club, including the potential sale of a controlling interest."
The group explained that its initial focus upon arrival was to stabilise a club beset by financial difficulty. "When TFG became custodians of Everton, the club faced significant financial uncertainty and challenges both on and off the pitch. The immediate priority was to provide the stability, investment and support needed to secure the club's future, including helping to bring the long-promised stadium to completion for its deserving supporters," the statement read.
Having overseen the completion of Everton's move to its new stadium — a project that was largely already under way before TFG's arrival — the owners believe conditions are now right to consider a change in direction. "With that foundation now safely in place, the time is right to consider the next chapter for Everton," the club said, adding that any sale would only proceed with buyers judged capable of building on recent progress: "We will only entertain interest from parties who we strongly believe will be the right stewards to take the club forward and build on the momentum that has been established."
The announcement follows a difficult stretch for TFG's relationship with Everton's supporters. Tensions rose during the summer transfer window after the club agreed to accept a £40m offer from Nottingham Forest for highly rated England Under-19 midfielder Harrison Armstrong, a move that triggered significant backlash from fans before Everton ultimately withdrew from the deal. Frustration deepened following the sale of striker Beto to Fiorentina, which left manager David Moyes with only one senior frontline forward, Frenchman Thierno Barry, and just 18 senior outfield players by the close of the window.
Adding to supporter unease, Moyes revealed in September that he had never personally met or spoken with Dan Friedkin since his return to the Everton dugout in January 2025. Friedkin, who oversees operations from Houston, delegates day-to-day control of the club to his son-in-law, Rishi Majithia, who works alongside chief executive Angus Kinnear. The admission reinforced perceptions among fans that the ownership group had taken a largely hands-off approach, a notable contrast to TFG's more visibly engaged stewardship of Serie A side Roma, their other major football investment, which currently competes in the Champions League.
The departure of Iliman Ndiaye to Manchester City for £65m during the same window, combined with what many viewed as a cautious approach in the transfer market, further fuelled criticism that TFG's ambitions for Everton were limited.
Despite the turbulence, TFG's tenure will likely be remembered for restoring financial stability to a club that had been teetering on the edge of crisis under Moshiri, as well as guiding Everton through its long-awaited stadium transition. Whether that is ultimately viewed as a significant legacy will depend on what comes next, as the search for new investment — and potentially new ownership — begins.
TFG stressed that its commitment to the club remains unchanged throughout the process: "We will support the club in all ways necessary to achieve success on the pitch and will continue efforts to make a positive difference in the communities the club serves."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport and The Guardian.