Former Everton ace reacts to 777 Partners blocked takeover report with Gino D’Acampo ‘grandmother’ verdict
Michael Ball has reacted dismissively to the prospect of Everton having to sell key players if the 777 Partners takeover is blocked.
The BBC pundit and former Toffee’s defender responded on Twitter on 25 September to a post from Mail Online, relaying a Daily Mirror story from two days earlier suggesting the likes of Jordan Pickford and Amadou Onana would have to be sold in January if the sale doesn’t get ratified.
With a nod to TV chef Gino D’Acampo on This Morning Ball wrote: “If my grandmother had wheels she would’ve been a bike”, as he ignored the hypothetical transfer threat.
777 Partners have signed an agreement to buy out Farhad Moshiri’s entire 94.1% share of Everton but must satisfy a number of regulators and current stakeholders to get the deal done.
Not bothered
It is a fact of life at Everton currently that the medium-term future and beyond is beset with potential disasters but clearly Ball isn’t going to get worked up about this one ahead of time.
Enough doubts have been raised about 777’s suitability and capability from various sources to concern fans about how the mooted takeover may turn out.
But the Americans are clearly serious about the intentions to get the deal done, and have visited the club to meet with Sean Dyche and Kevin Thelwell after striking a deal with Moshiri.
Having already provided cash for the club in the form of a loan [The Athletic, 18 September] thought to be around £20million there continue to be indications that money concerns have gone nowhere.
And in light of the past three transfer windows seeing various important players sold including Richarlison, Anthony Gordon and Alex Iwobi, it is impossible to entirely rule out another following in January.
But 777 plan to be in charge before that point and until the regulatory process runs it course there is no way of knowing if they will be successful in doing so.
In other Everton news, a former club captain now claims a young ace is undroppable for Dyche after his latest input.