'Already had conversations' - Finance expert moots Friedkin 'Statement Signing' at Everton

The Friedkin Group [TFG] are likely to want to make a “statement signing” for Everton after completing their takeover, according to Kieran Maguire.

The football finance expert from the University of Liverpool told TBR Football on 22 October that the incoming owners will improve the financial situation greatly at Goodison Park, after money was regularly borrowed under Farhad Moshiri.

But he warned that the Americans will need to be careful if they look to make a splash in the transfer market as they may then find themselves needing to sell again early in the summer window to balance the books.

Maguire said: “I think they would like to make a statement signing. What they don’t want to do is put themselves in a compromising position whereby they have to sell a player before 30th June.

“But assuming the deal goes ahead, I’m sure the Friedkin group have already had conversations.

“There are always two issues when recruiting a player. A) do we have the physical cash to get a deal over the line? And B) do we have the latitude within the cost control rules?

“The former is not a problem. They are not in a position where they need to borrow money anymore, as has been the case in recent years under Moshiri.

“That’s a real positive. They did make some sales this summer which has given them a bit of flexibility. They are in a far better position than they were under Moshiri.”

Amadou Onana sale to allow Everton to make transfer splash?

Just as the logical signs point towards TFG likely wanting to find a popular new manager to spearhead their time in charge a major signing would work in the same way.

If there is enough PSR leeway to do it in January it would provide a huge psychological lift for a fanbase which has suffered in recent seasons.

But the winter window is notorious for being difficult to find real value on big names, so if the new owners can spend it might be better directed on two or three more low-key deals.

Pushing the envelope too far put the club under pressure heading into the summer, having to sell before the 30 June accounting cut off for another year.

Lewis Dobbin and Ben Godfrey were sold last summer to help balance the previous year’s spending, and Amadou Onana’s £50million exit to Aston Villa later in the summer [BBC Sport, 22 July] allowed for some reasonable recruitment.

How much space has been left by that remains to be seen, but if the team is continuing to perform by the turn of the year it might make more sense to save the big splash in the transfer market for next summer, with a new Dominic Calvert-Lewin contract probably the more pressing concern.

In other Everton news, the Toffees are ready to let a senior ace leave in January who is already wanted.

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