Roma owner Friedkin latest linked with Everton purchase

It’s as if the floodgates have suddenly opened with the expiry of the exclusivity period 777 Partners had with Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri. A week after the takeover attempt by the Florida-based investment group collapsed, there appear to be between five to six consortiums all interested in purchasing the storied English club.

After reports recently surfaced that Michael Dell — the CEO of global computing powerhouse Dell Technologies — was interested in backing the purchase bid by two Evertonians and local businessmen Andy Bell and George Townsend through his family investment firm DFO Management (formerly known as MSD), now it appears there is more competition with British media reporting that the owner of Serie A club AS Roma was interested in entering the Premier League market with a bid for the Toffees.

Dan Friedkin is quite the character - the American businessman, heir and film producer is reputedly worth £4.8 billion, and is the owner and CEO of The Friedkin Group which owns dealership Gulf States Toyota. He is also an avid pilot, golfer and conservationist, and also owns Ligue 2 side AS Cannes.

The 59-year-old flies a variety of vintage military aircraft and has performed in aerobatic air shows across the world with the United States Air Force and the Horsemen P-51 Flight Team. He has also designed and owns a number of golf courses in the USA while supporting wildlife conservation projects in East Africa.

Friedkin chairs the Auberge Resorts Collection, a portfolio of luxury resorts, hotels and vacation properties around the world. His interests reach out to the world of media and entertainment as well, as he co-founded 30WEST, a firm providing capital and guidance to creative projects and companies such as Neon, which distributed the Academy Award-winning film Parasite. He also co-formed Imperative Entertainment, a studio dedicated to the development, production and financing of various film, television and documentary ventures.

Also showing interest in purchasing Everton Football Club is another American businessman John Textor, who is a 40% shareowner at Crystal Palace and will have to sell that stake before getting involved with the Toffees. Textor is quite the colorful character, and shows an undoubted passion for the game which would easily make him a fan favourite.

A-Cap management, the investment firm that supported 777 Partners with funding for their takeover attempt are said to still be thinking of making a move of their own for the Blues, while MSP Holdings, who also backed 777 with funding have long been said to pursuing their own takeover attempt.

The next step appears to be with incumbent owner Moshiri who will need to decide if he’ll grant another period of exclusivity to any of the prospective buyers, or whether he would like to drive up the price he wants for Everton.