Everton takeover: Alan Myers responds to 777 Partners exit rumours, possible sanctions
777 Partners are not walking away from their Everton takeover and causing the club extra Premier League punishment worries, says Alan Myers.
The Sky Sports journalist responded via Twitter on 16 April when asked about rumours that the American firm were ready to abandon their bid, with the loans they have already put into the club then risking further sanctions, to dismiss the notion.
It emerged late on 15 April that 777 had been granted an extension to the repayment deadline for the £158million loan to MSP Sports Capital, with Farhad Moshiri believed to have led negotiations on their behalf.
Asked about the rumours Myers simply replied: “Not true”.
Everton takeover rumbles on after MSP Sports Capital extension
There would be little point in 777 abandoning their bid at this stage just as they have been handed a late lifeline to keep it in play.
The Monday deadline was one of the Premier League’s key conditions to grant approval for the deal, and threatened to both end 777’s hopes of getting a deal done and hand control of the club to MSP via the acquisition of 51% of Moshiri’s shares.
That the Jahm Najafi-fronted company agreed to an extension seemingly suggests they do not have an interest in taking over and sorting out the myriad financial problems at Goodison Park themselves.
But the latest development does seemingly just kick the can yet further down the road, despite already being well into the 31st week since the 15 September announcement of the deal between 777 and Moshiri.
Josh Wander and company had been seeking to secure another huge loan in the final days before the deadline, although it was deemed unlikely, but as they haven’t managed to prove sufficient funding to the league by now it remains to be seen what has changed to suggest they can in the coming weeks.
Since they have plowed tens of millions into the club in loans since September they will presumably continue to do so while their bid is alive, holding off the immediate threat of administration, and making it highly unlikely that they would walk away of their own volition.
But it still leaves the club caught in the same uncertainty that has hung over it for months, with the failure to meet the deadline likely to induce more doubt that 777 can ultimately get this over the line.
In other Everton news, Phil McNulty suggested what Sean Dyche did to one Toffees player at Chelsea would not have been well-received.
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