by Farhad Moshiri has insisted that Everton are not for sale, amid reports that various parties are interested in taking over the Premier League club.
Everton finished 16th last season, their lowest finish in the Premier League since 2003-04, when they finished 17th.
Frank Lampard, appointed mid-season after Rafael Benítez was sacked, managed to secure safety with a game to play, courtesy of a 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park.
However, Everton’s reckless spending during the Moshiri era, which began in 2016 and saw six permanent managers lose their jobs before Lampard took over, means they were on the brink of breaching the Premier’s sustainability and profit rules. League.
As such, a big sale was required before the new campaign, with Richarlison sold for £50m, rising to £60m including add-ons, to Tottenham at the end of June.
With a new stadium under construction on Liverpool’s waterfront, widespread reports during the off-season have claimed that various parties are interested in buying Everton.
The most prominent, an American consortium headed by former Chelsea and Manchester United executive Peter Kenyon, was said to be close to a deal, with reports going so far as to say the group was confident of buying the club before the start. of Everton’s pre-season tour of the United States.
That tour is now underway and with no deal completed, Moshiri has now insisted the club has not been for sale, although he acknowledged he hopes to find additional investors.
In a statement posted on Everton’s official website, he said: “There has been a lot of talk about investment in our football club recently, including acquisitions, but I want to clarify that there is no ‘for sale’ sign hanging outside Everton Football Club. .
“It will always be pragmatic to explore all possible investment opportunities and as I have been transparent I am focused on completing the financing of our fantastic new stadium as well as strengthening the playing team and that could include a minority investment. That will be continuing. But I want to assure everyone that Everton Football Club is not for sale.”
While Richarlison was sold and Fabian Delph, Jonjoe Kenny, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Cenk Tosun all left on free transfers, with Donny van de Beek and Anwar El Ghazi’s loan deals expiring, only James Tarkowski, free from relegated Burnley, has se joined Everton until now.
But Moshiri is convinced he will be added to the squad, despite Everton’s financial constraints.
“My commitment to the club remains strong and focused and [director of football] Kevin Thelwell and the president [Bill Kenwright] They are currently working hard to bring in new players to improve Frank Lampard’s team,” the statement continued.
“There will be new signings and I would ask the fans to judge us at the end of the transfer window, not now, and to listen to the official club channels for information.”
