Friedkin Group to acquire majority stake in Everton

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Image credit: Everton FC Instagram

The Friedkin Group has reached an agreement to buy Farhad Moshiri’s majority 94% stake in Everton. The deal is subject to regulatory approval from the Premier League, the Football Association and the Financial Conduct Authority.

It is believed to be worth in excess of $770 million, leaving Moshiri with little return on his substantial investment.

The US-based group is led by chairman Dan Friedkin, who also owns Roma. He has a net worth of $11bn AUD according to Forbes thanks to The Friedkin Group, which was founded by his father, Thomas H. Friedkin.

Everton would become the 10th club in the Premier League under majority American ownership, joining the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool.

The deal would bring to a conclusion the damaging Moshiri reign. The British-Iranian businessman has invested more than $1445 million in the club since 2016, but many supporters have been deeply unhappy about his ownership because of its failure to hit successful transfers and its enormous debt which lead to points deductions in 2023/24.

Last season they were deducted points twice, amounting to a total of eight after an appeals process, for breaching Premier League financial rules on the level of losses clubs are allowed to make.

Everton, who have not played outside the top flight during the Premier League era, had been toying with relegation under Frank Lampard and current manager Sean Dyche, finishing in the bottom half. They started the season on only one win after six and it suggests they will spend a fourth season near the drop zone.

The Friedkin Group had agreed a deal in principle to purchase current owner Moshiri’s 94% stake in June but talks were called off a month later after the two parties failed to finalise an agreement.

That followed Miami-based 777 Partners being unable to a complete a deal earlier this year which Everton is probably fortunate to hear considering the toxicity around how they have run Standard Liege and Hertha BSC into a tough position.

In June, it was said that Friedkin hinted that he wanted Roma and Everton to sit at the top of a multi-club model, something that The Friedkin Group has yet to experiment.

Everton’s appeal to the Friedkin Group was said to be based on the club’s history, fanbase and the new stadium being built on Bramley-Moore Dock which will be used from the start of the 2025/26 season onwards.

The group in a statement said they remain fully committed to Roma and has no concerns regarding the two clubs co-existing under UEFA rules.

The Friedkin Group assumed control of Italian side Roma in 2020 and guided the club to Europa Conference League success under Jose Mourinho in 2022.

However, this success was short lived, sacking Mourinho only 10 months later before Daniele De Rossi’s short reign has the club in an awkward position in the Serie A.

After some shaky managerial appointments and sackings for AS Roma, Sean Dyche’s future also looks to be in a perilous position if he fails to turn the results around before the new year.

The Friedkin Group released a statement regarding the takeover agreement and their plans to stabilise the club.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement to become custodians of this iconic football club. We are focused on securing the necessary approvals to complete the transaction,” a spokesperson for the Friedkin Group said in a statement last week.

“We look forward to providing stability to the club and sharing our vision for its future, including the completion of the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.”

Overall, this is fantastic news for Everton and its fanbase who were long overdue some clarity around the dark situation of their ownership.

The Friedkin Group are willing to overlook the huge stadium debt and inconsistent league results in an attempt to bring one of England’s oldest clubs back to its former glory which saw them win 9 Division One titles and 3 FA Cups.

The group will lead Everton through its new era, right before they permanently leave Goodison Park and enter the 53,000 capacity Bramley-Moore Dock which should increase the club’s revenue and bring a fresh feel to the club.

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

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Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

 

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

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Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

 

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

 

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.

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