'Most Likely' Everton bidder to return to the table emerges - report

Vatche Manoukian’s group seem the “most likely” former Everton bidder to return to the table after Dan Friedkin pulled out, according to Matt Slater.

The Athletic journalist suggested via the outlet’s website on 20 July that the collapse of the American’s takeover has put the Toffees back on the market since Wednesday, two days before the announcement was made.

Manoukian led a group which had made a £400million bid after 777 Partners’ doomed attempt to buy the club finally ended but was overtaken by The Friedkin Group in the race for exclusivity.

Vici Private Finance have also continued to monitor the situation [Paul Joyce, 19 July] and Slater has separately indicated via X on 19 July that there is another unnamed group who may have a better chance than both.

Vatche Manoukian may be early frontrunner after Farhad Moshiri put Everton back on the market

Moshiri clearly needs new offers to come in unless he is suddenly going to decide he can continue running the club.

There has been no indication he can or wants to for months so Friedkin’s exit scaring off all the contenders that had been beaten to a deal would be a nightmare all round at Goodison.

Manoukian’s bid was previously dismissed as “not serious” though [The Esk, 9 June] so whether that group would be a suitable contender is another question if they do come back in.

The catastrophic failure of 777 Partners’ in their attempt to takeover the Toffees has not only proven to be the basis of Friedkin backing away but has demonstrated beyond doubt how vital it is that any prospective new owner have the means and the expertise to navigate such a complicated situation.

The Friedkin Group have told The Esk (20 July) that they believe the issues are currently “unresolvable” so it is going to take either a far richer or far more confident investor to press ahead.

At the very least any groups that now make offers surely must be coming in with their eyes open to the difficulties and would therefore be willing to deal with them.

In other Everton news, the Toffees are believed to have multiple new signings still in the works despite the takeover chaos.

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