Everton takeover news: Sky Sports pundit reacts as Farhad Moshiri offer compared to Roman Abramovich Chelsea exit
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Kevin Campbell doesn’t expect Everton to be afforded any leeway if Farhad Moshiri was obliged to sell the club, just as happened with Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea exit.
A report from The Guardian on 31 May noted that the Toffees owner was a “person of interest” to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, effectively the Treasury’s police, over his links former club sponsor Alisher Usmanov.
Although Everton cut ties with the billionaire by ending those agreements hastily when he was sanctioned over the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, The Guardian reported that an investment offer had been on the table that would have seen the club’s majority shareholder receive no proceeds, prompting comparisons to Abramovich, and Campbell is realistic that if there are potential issues there could also be “consequences”.
The Sky Sports pundit exclusively told Goodison News: “I don’t think it’s anything to do with Everton’s reputation. If there’s things that have gone on that haven’t been right then there’s going to be consequences, that’s just the way it is.
“And the way the world has gone at the moment, I mean Abramovich, look what he invested at Chelsea but he walked away from it didn’t he?
“I don’t think there’s going to be any special favours for Everton, just like there were no special favours for Chelsea.
“If that’s the way it’s got to go, that’s the way it’s gonna go.”
Moshiri himself hasn’t been sanctioned in any way, and his representatives have repeatedly denied any issues around the owner at all.
But as the MSP Sports Capital investment deal is still yet to be officially unveiled and Bill Kenwright remains in place after the Friday (23 June) statement that announced he was staying 11 days after the the club itself set a 48 hour timeframe for an update on his future, there is no shortage of questions still.
Moshiri may just be unfortunate that media and government investigations continue to scrutinise him, but while such a situation is ongoing it creates doubts and uncertainty even if there is no basis to it.