Everton owner The Friedkin Group explores sale of controlling stake in club

The Friedkin Group (TFG), owner of Premier League club Everton, said on 9 October 2026 that it is exploring new investment options for the club. These include the potential sale of a controlling interest.

"The Friedkin Group is exploring new investment options for Everton Football Club, including the potential sale of a controlling interest," the statement said, as quoted by The Guardian.

TFG completed its takeover in December 2024, succeeding former owner Farhad Moshiri. Since then, Everton has moved into a new stadium, which Al Jazeera names as the Hill Dickinson Stadium. TFG also owns Italian club AS Roma.

TFG said it would only consider parties it believes will be the right stewards for the club. It said it would keep supporting the club on and off the pitch during the process.

The Guardian, the BBC and Al Jazeera all base their reports on the same statement. They differ on who issued it. The BBC attributes it to TFG. The Guardian calls it an Everton statement. Al Jazeera attributes it to both.

Reported details

According to Al Jazeera, TFG has retained investment bank Moelis & Company to advise on the process. Only Al Jazeera reports this. Al Jazeera also reports that TFG and Everton will make no further comment while the process is under way, and that TFG owns French side AS Cannes.

According to the BBC, the 2024 deal was believed to be worth more than £400m and gave TFG 99.5% of the club. The BBC reports that chairman Dan Friedkin is based in Houston. It says he leaves daily running of the club to his son-in-law Rishi Majithia, who works with chief executive Angus Kinnear.

According to the BBC, manager David Moyes said in September that he had never met or spoken to Dan Friedkin since returning in January 2025. The BBC also reports that Friedkin has not attended an Everton game since then.

The summer transfer window drew criticism from supporters, according to the BBC and to Al Jazeera, which cites British media reports. Al Jazeera says the club earned significant income from player sales but made limited signings. According to the BBC, Everton accepted a £40m Nottingham Forest bid for midfielder Harrison Armstrong, then pulled out. The BBC says Beto was sold to Fiorentina, leaving Thierno Barry as the only recognised striker. BBC analysis says Iliman Ndiaye joined Manchester City for £65m and that Moyes was left with 18 senior outfield players.

What is disputed

TFG's statement says it helped bring the long-promised stadium to completion. BBC analysis says the move was effectively done before TFG's takeover.

What each side says

TFG says the club faced "significant financial uncertainty" when it took over. It says its priority was stability, investment and support. "With that foundation now safely in place, the time is right to consider the next chapter for Everton," the BBC quoted the statement as saying.

Apart from the BBC's figure for the 2024 takeover, the reports do not include a valuation for any new sale, potential buyers, a timeline, or comment from supporters' groups or the Premier League.

Analysis

The announcement opens several possible paths. TFG could sell a controlling stake, attract new investment while keeping some role, or end the process without a deal. The reports do not say whether minority investment alone is being considered. Questions raised in some reports about the transfer window and owner engagement may shape how supporters view any change, though their link to the decision is not established. A new owner's priorities, funding and plans for the squad would likely be closely examined. With no timeline, sale valuation or named bidders reported, beyond the BBC's figure of more than £400m for the 2024 takeover, the scale and timing of any change remain unclear.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.