It could prove a weekend to remember for Everton fans with a chance of both Premier League survival and the sale of the club being secured by Monday.
Both notions of course represent best-case scenarios, but talks between maligned owner Farhad Moshiri and potential buyers MSP Sports Capital are reportedly progressing rapidly. And the sale will NOT be subject to whether or not Sean Dyche's men can stay in the top flight for another season.
The Toffees could be safe by 3.30pm on Sunday if they manage to win at Wolves, coupled with Leeds losing away to West Ham on Sunday. And now Dyche and his players also face the possibility of waking up the following morning to find a new consortium in charge at Goodison Park.
American outfit 777 Partners were seemingly leading the race to buy the Merseyside club, but according to the Daily Mail, MSP Sports Capital is now in pole position amid plans to complete a deal inside the next 48 hours.
The company is chaired by Iranian American billionaire Jahm Najafi, with ex-agent Jeff Moorad serving as chief executive. The 68-year-old American is also well known in Hollywood circles, with the film Jerry Maguire, starring Tom Cruise, containing scenes filmed in his office.
The film's notorious "show me the money" line is also reported to have been inspired by previous talks between Moorad and a leading NHL player. But Everton fans will be demanding just that if a sale goes through, with the MSP bid, critically, not dependent on whether or not the club are plying their trade in the Championship next season.
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And what could also play into MSP's hands is the determination of Moshiri to sell before the next instalment for the club's new £500 million stadium in Bramley Moore Dock is due. He also currently faces an explosive saga, with Premier League rivals considering suing if Everton stay up this season amid charges of an alleged breach of Financial Fair Play rules in March.
During the Blues' chastening 2-1 home loss to Southampton in January, Najafi, Moorad, and company vice-president Pete Taylor were all in attendance. Indeed, MSP's involvement in football is already vast, with current involvement in German side FC Augsburg, G.D. Estoril Praia in Portugal, Spain’s AD Alcorcon and Belgian side SK Beveren. They also have a controlling stake in the extreme sports event X Games and a minority investment in the McLaren F1 team.
After the defeat to Manchester City last week, Everton are perilously placed in 17th, just a point above the drop zone. The club have not been relegated from the top flight since the 1950/51 season.
