Qatari takeover on the cards at Everton, Sir Jim Ratcliffe also mentioned – Stan Collymore
Stan Collymore has suggested Everton could be subject of takeover interest from Qatar as speculation over Farhad Moshiri’s tenure at Goodison Park grows.
The Guardian reported (25 January) that Moshiri has put the club up for sale as he looks to recoup the money he has invested into the Bramely Moore-Dock stadium.
Collymore believes the Merseyside club could well see investment from the Middle East, much like Manchester City and Newcastle United have seen in recent years.
“Now the manager is in place the next big test for Everton is getting things right at the board and ownership level. And I do wonder if Qatar, who are looking at investing in a Premier League team, are wondering if they can take Everton and do with them what Abu Dhabi did with Manchester City and Saudi Arabia with Newcastle United,” said Collymore (Sunday People, page 59, 29 January)
“As one of the 12 founding member clubs, I’d rather see Everton owned by someone British in the mould of Sir Jim Ratcliffe.”
Possible
There is a strong possibility Everton will see some sort of investment in the coming years, and with the right financial support, there’s a strong chance they could follow a similar path to Newcastle United. Everton’s fan base and history mean they have the potential to be one of a few clubs that could potentially bridge the gap to the big six.
Leeds United and Aston Villa are probably the two other clubs who have a large enough fan base both domestically and globally to realistically close the gap with the right investment. However, at present, a takeover does look a long way off for the Toffees.
Relegation is looking like more of a probability rather than a possibility at present and any potential investor could well be put off buying the club if they reside in the Championship. Takeover talk should take a back seat for the second half of the season as Sean Dyche looks to steer the club to safety.
A smart move from Moshiri would be to give the new boss as much support in the final three days of the transfer window as he possibly can.