Michael Ball shares why Everton fans should be thankful after Friedkin Group sale news
The Friedkin Group have come in for a lot of criticism at Everton in the last few days.
It was revealed last Friday that the American business group are considering a sale, rather than the strategic investment that was originally planned.
Many supporters feel like they underestimated what it would take to run a club in the Premier League.
They are also angry that they did not back David Moyes' side in the transfer market, leaving him with just Thierno Barry as the lone striker.
However, former Blues ace Michael Ball believes that it could have been much worse.
The now Everton-mad pundit believes that the Hill Dickinson Stadium faithful should be thankful for Friedkin and Co.
Why should Everton supporters be grateful to the Friedkin Group?
Ball's logic is that the Friedkins stopped a worse option from taking the reins on Merseyside.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Ball said: “I think Dan Friedkin knew he didn’t want to get fully invested.
“We’ve seen him at Roma - he’s got a big bill to start paying for a new stadium coming up.
“He probably feels that he can’t really back Everton to the level he wants to get us challenging at and hopefully he’s just going to find a suitable interested party.
“While we’re frustrated with his decision, he actually stepped up to the plate and stopped certain other potential owners coming to the football club like 777 Partners and John Textor, so you’ve got to be thankful for that.”
That is a good point: the likes of 777 or Textor would have been terrible owners.
The Friedkins have stabilised the Toffees from the dreadful financial position that they were in when they took over, and it could have been much worse.
How have 777 and Textor fared since failed Everton bid?
777 would have probably been the worst possible outcome for the L3 outfit.
The Miami-based investment firm had agreed to buy Farhad Moshiri's 94 per cent stake in September 2023, but a deal was not ratified by the Premier League.
US prosecutors charged Josh Wander, the co-founder of 777, with defrauding lenders and investors of more than £372million in October 2025.
777 Partners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2026 after creditors had sought its liquidation, so that would not have been good for the Blues.
Meanwhile, Textor, whose Eagle Football group held stakes in Botafogo, RWD Molenbeek and Crystal Palace, has also had financial difficulties.
He owed Ares Management more than £342million in October 2025, and they gave him a 12 month reprieve.
The stake in Palace was sold to Woody Johnson for £190m, with Ares still seeking a further £170m, but Eagle Football went into administration in March and Textor has lost control of his clubs.
That suggests that he would not have been a good owner for the Merseysiders.