Everton takeover: Jamie Carragher moots Premier League worry as Monday loan not set to be repaid
Jamie Carragher has suggested that Everton are not set to repay MSP Sports Capital’s £158million loan ahead of the Monday night (15 April) deadline.
Speaking live ahead of the Toffees’ game against Chelsea the same night the Sky Sports pundit indicated the midnight deadline (US Eastern, 5am UK) “doesn’t look like it’s going to happen”, despite it being one of four key “stipulations” from the Premier League for the takeover to go through.
The ex-England international says the league will be “worrying” that if they now reject the bid they will also cut off immediate Everton funding – 777 have been putting in regular loans throughout the season for day-to-day runnings costs.
Carragher said 6.44pm: “The Premier League are probably in a position right now where they’re looking at them and saying, ‘Are these fit and proper owners, and have they actually got the money? Show us the money.’
“If you want to take over there’s four stipulations they gave them and they haven’t met them, and today Everton Football Club are due to pay MSP £158million, I think the deadline’s midnight tonight.
“That doesn’t look like it’s going to happen… and the problem is, if the Premier League are looking at this group they’ll also be worrying if they say no to them who’s actually going to keep Everton going right now?”
777 Partners not set to repay MSP Sports Capital loan to Everton?
There are still a number of hours to go until the deadline as the American Eastern time zone approaches midnight, and talks over an extension to the deadline are tipped to go right down to the wire.
But as Farhad Moshiri was reportedly leading those talks the fact that he was pictured in the stands at Stamford Bridge watching Sean Dyche’s side collapse early against Chelsea suggested there wasn’t a huge amount of urgency on his part for the night.
As he is facing the threat of MSP acquiring 51% of his shares, and with it majority control of the club, he surely knows that is not happening if he hasn’t been locked in tense negotiations through Monday evening.
Whether that means more time has been allowed to 777, which simply extends the uncertainty that has already lasted so many months, or he has arranged for an alternative arrangement with MSP himself remains to be seen.
Everton fans might dispute the idea that the Premier League will be worried about anything that negatively effects the club, as some pundits and politicians have felt Richard Masters has it in for the Toffees.
But it is certainly a concern that without the regular 777 loans, a situation which itself is far from an ideal solution to the shortfall at Goodison Park, another source of funding will be needed straight away.
So if the MSP loan isn’t being repaid before the deadline there has to be buy in from a number of parties to keep the club out of even more serious financial trouble.
In other Everton news, the Toffees and the Premier League are facing the risk of being sued after recent developments.
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