Everton relegation ‘inevitability’ without takeover which ‘can’t come quick enough’ – Alan Shearer
Everton “desperately” needs a takeover to avoid the “inevitability” of relegation, according to Alan Shearer.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football Podcast (14 September), Shearer blasted Farhad Moshiri and the Toffees’ “ridiculous” spending on “bang-average” signings over the last few seasons, claiming “there’s only so long” Everton can go on for without a takeover.
With 777 Partners’ takeover of the club progressing despite various issues, Shearer admits a takeover “of some sort” is essential for the safety of the club.
Shearer said: “Something desperately needs to happen. Everton fans must be looking and thinking, ‘Help, we desperately need help’.
“At the minute, there’s only so long that you can keep on surviving, which is what Everton have been doing for a while now and the ridiculous amounts of money that’s been spent over the years on bang-average players.
“You have to think there’s some huge money gone missing in terms of agent fees, transfers et cetera. But, for so long now Everton have had no identity, no structure, no plan and they’ve just been surviving.
“For the Everton fans, a takeover of some sort can’t come quick enough. The inevitability will come if it continues, they’ll get relegated. You just what’s going to happen to the football club.”
Damning
Shearer did not hold back in his scathing criticism of the Everton hierarchy, suggesting they could be putting the club on a one-way ticket to potential collapse.
A prospective takeover could well be on the horizon, but after MSP Sports Captial’s failed attempt to buy a 25% stake in the club, Moshiri has moved to 777 Partners, who themselves are riddled with question marks.
The Telegraph reported (12 September) that UK government officials in Whitehall are concerned about the takeover, with the newspaper citing 777’s “allegations of fraud, offering illegal loans and failing to pay bills totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars” as a significant hindrance to the move.
The Toffees have been on a tightrope for years now. Relegation narrowly avoided Merseyside last season, with just two points between 17th-place Everton and 18th-place Leicester City.
Financially, there is nothing to be happy about. Years and years of “bang-average” spending has resulted in little-to-no improvement on the pitch, which itself has led to an upcoming hearing on alleged breaches of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulation next month.
Survival is key for the Toffees again this year, but without a takeover, the future of the entire club could be in jeopardy.
In other Everton news, Gary Lineker reacts to the 777 Partners’ takeover developments.