Fresh concerns’ raised over 777 Partners takeover of Everton as £4.5m payment issue emerges
The Guardian has reported that “fresh concerns” have been raised over 777 Partners’ takeover of Everton amid developments with another of the American investment fund’s clubs.
Vasco da Gama, who are 70% owned by 777, missed a deadline to complete payments on deals for three players, leading to FIFA hitting the Brazilian side with a transfer ban last week.
According to Andy Hunter in an article for The Guardian’s online edition [2 October], the failed payments to Lille, Uruguay’s Nacional and Atletico Tucuman of Argentina, total around €5.2million (£4.5m).
Hunter wrote: “Fresh concerns have been raised over 777 Partners, Everton’s prospective new owners, after another of their clubs failed to meet payments on three transfers costing a total of around €5.2m (£4.5m).
“Their predicament raises more questions over 777’s resources as it attempts to buy Everton from Farhad Moshiri.”
This is not the first high-profile issue that has been reported since 777 Partners’ interest in Everton was first made public.
Vasco’s transfer ban is yet another headache a time when the Toffees could desperately do with some positive news – on and off the field.
The Americans hope to purchase 94.1% of Moshiri’s shareholding, although it must first be signed off by the Premier League.
A decision on that could yet take a few more months, but there are plenty of indications that everyone expects a deal to go through.
If it does, it goes without saying that 777 cannot afford to default on any payments, whether it is £4.5m, like in this case, or substantially more.
With a bit of luck, the bad news on the takeover front will quieten down for a while, but do not hold your breath.
In other Everton news, two players are reportedly “under pressure” on the back of the 2-1 loss to Luton Town.
