'Not Serious' - The Esk reacts to latest Everton takeover bid

Vatche Manoukian’s place in the Everton takeover race is not a serious one, according to The Esk.

The Toffees analyst dismissed the London-based businessman’s offer on Twitter (9 June) after it was reported the night previous in The Athletic that he was heading up a group of international investors with a £400million attempt to buy from Farhad Moshiri.

Bids have also gone in from the Evertonian duo Andy Bell and George Downing, as well as MSP Sports Capital, while there is what Sky Sports Italy (8 June) refer to as “very serious” interest from Roma’s owner Dan Friedkin.

The Athletic described Manoukian as: “The nephew of an Armenian entertainment and property tycoon, Manoukian is a partner in global technology investment firm IMS Digital Ventures and his bid group includes investors from the Gulf and United States.”

But The Esk’s reaction to the development was: “Manoukian are not serious bidders.”

Vatche Manoukian offer for Everton takeover dismissed

Up against current Toffees creditors such as Bell and Downing or MSP Sports Capital the Manoukian bid clearly looks like an outsider.

That in itself doesn’t prevent it from being a viable option for Everton moving forward, but The Esk has arguably earned some benefit of the doubt after largely being proven right with his early scepticism to the failed 777 Partners takeover attempt.

Bell and Downing, as lifelong supporters, are bound to be a popular option for many, and are seen as the frontrunners with their offer that is set to be backed by a major loan from Michael Dell, according to Matt Slater in The Athletic.

Sentimental grounds alone aren’t enough to warrant their offer being chosen by Moshiri for exclusivity, although on paper, as long as they have enough backing, it would put some sections of the fanbase at ease to know two of their own are steering matters moving forward.

Now that there are multiple parties in the picture it should mean that any options that aren’t feasible for whatever reason will be left behind, and one has dropped out already, while another doesn’t actually want control of Everton.

The Manoukian group’s offer is described an “all-equity” bid which sounds positive in that it would avoid yet more debt mounting at the club but if not, allowing for the unpredictable decision-making of Moshiri, any prospective buyer whose pitch doesn’t match up to the competitors should come out in the wash.

In other Everton news, the Toffees are pushing ahead with a surprisingly-large new transfer attempt.

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