Kieran Maguire shares one negative as Friedkin Group make fresh financial move at Everton
The Friedkin Group took little time to win over supporters upon purchasing Everton in December 2024.
American owners the Friedkins purchased 99.5 per cent of Everton almost a year ago in a deal worth a reported £400million-plus.
It brought to an end a drawn-out and at times frustrating takeover saga at Everton, with Farhad Moshiri’s turbulent tenure concluding.
The Friedkins have now further tightened their grip on Everton with a recent financial move that was confirmed by Companies House.
Everton issue £45m of fresh shares
The Friedkins invested heavily in the Everton squad in the summer transfer window – even if some wanted to see even more business – and have also made other big calls.
Everton Women have moved into Goodison Park in a welcome move that ensures the Toffees’ long-time home still has a use.
In terms of the financial side of things, Everton released £10million worth of shares in August, and a further £45m in shares last week.
News of those latest Everton shares being distributed was confirmed by Companies House.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has now offered some insight into that ploy, which is ultimately good news for Everton, albeit with one minor negative.
“Everton issued £10m worth of shares, from the Friedkin Group it looks like, in August,” Maguire said on The Price of Football podcast.
“They’ve followed that up by offering a fresh batch of shares around about £45m. Whether that’s to pay for final instalments of the stadium, or whether the club is still losing money on an operational basis, it shows Friedkins are big backers.
“The one down side – and I’ve got friends who are fans and shareholders of Everton Football Club – is that if more shares are being issued to the American owners, their overall proportion of Everton grows and grows.
“So the other shareholders’ stake is being diluted all the time. The value of their shares is going down, but that’s still better than going to a bank. The good thing with shares is you don’t have to repay them.”
As pointed out by Maguire, while the Friedkins’ grip on Everton is tightening, it is not the worst thing in the world.
List of Everton shareholders
The Friedkin Group own 99.5 per cent of Everton, with the other 0.5 per cent then made up of minority shareholders.
- Everton had financial trouble under old owner Farhad Moshiri
- This saw the Toffees suffer two separate points deduction in the 2023/24 campaign for PSR breaches
- However, under the guidance of Dan Friedkin, Everton have been more financially stable
Among those minority shareholders are the likes of The Spirit Organisation, James Mulville, David Cassidy, Clifford Finch, Kevin Moores and plenty of others.
The shares are so diluted that The Friedkin Group ultimately have the only real say in all things Everton.
While that is not always healthy, the Americans have shown over the past 10 months or so that they do indeed have the Toffees at heart.
As long as that remains the case, Everton can rest assured that they are on solid financial footing.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Everton news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @goodisonnews