By Declan Walsh

19th Sep, 2023 | 9:38pm

Jim White shares eyebrow-raising Everton development amid worry over new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium

Everton have secured a multi-million loan from 777 Partners but it has raised a few eyebrows, according to Jim White.

The Athletic journalist David Ornstein reported on Monday (18 September) that while the US investment firm has already got a deal in place to buy Everton from Farhad Moshiri, 777 have also loaned the Blues “tens of millions”.

White has questioned whether that loan is ethical while also sharing concerns about how Everton are going to pay for their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Speaking on talkSPORT, as shown on YouTube on 19 September, White said: “Everton are in the news again this morning.

“It appears Everton have received a loan from prospective new owners 777 Partners and [there are] a few raised eyebrows about these prospective new owners as well.

“Details of the financing have not been disclosed but amid Everton’s financial situation – pressure mounting over the new stadium of course – how’s that going to get funded? – 777 has already, it’s been reported, made a payment worth tens of millions of pounds.

“Is that in order at a time like this when they don’t have their hands on the football club yet? They’re not owners yet.”

Why?

It says a lot about Everton’s financial situation if the prospective new buyers are having to loan money to the Merseyside club already.

There has annoyingly been a lot of misreporting about Everton’s takeover because despite an official announcement being made last week, 777 are not owners of the club and Moshiri is very much still the man in charge.

All that’s happened is that Moshiri has agreed a deal with 777 and that deal will progress once the Premier League have done their checks.

In the meantime, 777 are loaning money to Everton and it raises the question as to why.

Are Everton’s finances so bleak that they need a cash boost from the Americans in order to get by over the coming months while the Premier League go through their process?

We’re talking at least £20million being loaned to the club and that’s the kind of money that doesn’t even touch the sides in the Premier League these days.

More should come to light soon but either way, we don’t see 777’s takeover going through and this loan is them maybe trying to find an alternative way to possibly buy into the club.

In other Everton news, BBC pundit Garth Crooks has given his verdict on where he expects the Toffees to finish this season.