Evertonians will be hoping that there is confirmation this week that Dan Friedkin has earned exclusivity to complete a takeover of the club.
After 777 Partners’ purchase inevitably collapsed, there were several parties interested in buying Farhad Moshiri’s 94% majority stake. But the British-Iranian businessman has reportedly selected Friedkin ahead of the likes of local businessmen Andy Bell and George Downing, MSP Sports Capital and a consortium involving a Saudi royal.
The American billionaire, through the Friedkin group, is aiming to expand his football portfolio. He has owned Italian outfit AS Roma since August 2020 after completing a $591 million purchase.
Subsequently, Roma won their first European trophy when they were crowned Europa Conference League winners in the 2021-22 season. I Giallorossi also reached the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2023-24 while they finished sixth in Serie A.
Understandably, Everton supporters will be interested in what Friedkin’s plans for Roma have been since arriving four years ago. When they arrived in the Italian capital, the California native laid out his blueprint to bring success to the Stadio Olimpico. That included listening to what fans want, although he stressed that patience would be imperative.
Speaking in first interview as Roma owner, Friedkin told the club’s website: “We are big believers in stability and culture. This is important in our existing businesses, and it’s critically important in football. We try to identify, and more importantly support, strong management. We prefer to be seen rather than heard, and for this reason we have empowered our leadership – particularly Guido Fienga – to handle most communication on behalf of the club. We believe that a winning culture must start at the top, and we intend to lead by example.”
“Make no mistake – we share this ambition with the fans, and we intend to win. But, we need patience – champions aren’t built overnight. We promise to work hard, smart and strategically, and to be 100% committed to AS Roma.
“We intend to listen a lot – and we have already been listening – and what we have heard so far is that the fans want three things – a team to be proud of, a club that appreciates, understands and shares their passion, and an ownership that is both present and honest.
“The potential is incredible. This is already one of the biggest football clubs in the world – playing in possibly the most iconic city in the world. We have the fans, the passion, the history and the ambition – if we win on the pitch and act in the right way off it, we can showcase AS Roma to millions of people in Rome and all over the world. We vow to work tirelessly to build a team that the fans can be proud of for many years to come.”
