'Unresolvable' - Friedkin Group provides direct quote to The Esk on Everton takeover mess

Everton face “unresolvable” issues with a potential takeover in the view of The Friedkin Group, according to The Esk.

The Toffees analyst shared a direct quote provided to him by the now-former buyers of the club on the Talking The Blues podcast on 20 July which indicated their decision to back out of the deal is not a bargaining tactic and their interest is over.

Dan Friedkin also previously pulled out of a deal to buy Roma before eventually completing a takeover of the Serie A side which has prompting, including finance expert Kieran Maguire (19 July), to suggest a return to the table may still be possible.

But to that end The Esk said (24m 50s): “I was given a direct quote from the Friedkin Group that said, ‘This is not a matter of writing a cheque. There are issues here that we believe are unresolvable’.”

777 Partners and A-Cap issue brings down Everton takeover

Friedkin pulled out of his exclusivity deal with Farhad Moshiri on the basis that there is no clarity around the debt from money loaned by former prospective owners 777 Partners last season [The Athletic, 19 July].

The Miami-based firm is engulfed in financial difficulties and their assets have been taken over by the original lender of the money A-Cap, but both have been accused of fraud in a US lawsuit – they each deny any wrongdoing.

Those complications, as well as the real possibility that the US Justice Department could join the equation with criminal charges somewhere down the line [The Athletic, 20 July] currently make it impossible for anyone to say how much will have to be paid or to whom.

Friedkin doesn’t seem to have any issue with affording the £200million-plus the debt currently costs but has apparently decided he doesn’t want the headache of worrying about the matter for months down the line.

There is believed to still be interest among previous bidders for the club but since any buyer will face the same risks that have scared Friedkin off it appears a deal can only be done with a group who are willing to shoulder that uncertainty.

Andy Bell and George Downing have been ruled out [The Esk, 19 July] but Vici Private Finance have maintained an interest in the situation and could return [Paul Joyce, 19 July].

The latter is one of three possible offers that could now arrive to Moshiri [Matt Slater, 19 July] and all should be well aware of the situation now if they do decide to come forward.

But it would have been reasonable to assume that Friedkin knew about it as well and he still got this far down the road before abandoning the bid so the ownership situation is very much up in the air once more.

In other Everton news, the Toffees could have as many as five more signings in the works despite the collapse of the takeover.

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