Farhad Moshiri remains committed to Everton after talks ended with a US consortium headed by Peter Kenyon regarding a potential takeover of the club, although representatives of the group claim dialogue is continuing and hope they can still strike a deal.
The period of exclusivity between Everton and the consortium which includes real estate tycoon Maciek 'MG' Kaminski and his family, as well as John Thornton, non-executive chairman of the Barrick Gold mining firm and PineBridge Investments, ended at midnight going into Friday.
Sources close to Moshiri say that a decision was made not to extend the period and no more talks are planned with the deal being described as “dead.”
READ MORE: Bad Richarlison take could come true if Everton halt concerning transfer trend
READ MORE: Everton enter race for Jesse Lingard after Richarlison exit
The ECHO has been informed that Moshiri maintains his focus is on completing the financing of Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock – which remains on schedule to open in the 2024/25 season – and strengthening Frank Lampard’s squad.
While the Moshiri camp claim that there are no plans to extend the exclusivity period with the Kaminski/Thornton bid, being fronted by former Manchester United and Chelsea CEO Kenyon, sources close to Kaminski have told the ECHO that their own position hasn't changed and that dialogue between Kaminski and Moshiri was ongoing.
The group claimed on Friday that 'paperwork had been exchanged overnight' with a view to extending the exclusivity period, but as things stand that has now lapsed and no extension activated, with Moshiri presently free, if he so wished, to drum up more interest in a sale or speak to potential investors.
The position on Saturday morning from the Kaminski group was that dialogue between the two main figures from both parties was "understood to be continuing over the weekend", which is a federal holiday in the US to celebrate Independence Day.
There has been no official comment from either party on the matter, with the lack of clarity an unwelcome distraction for Lampard and his team as they seek to piece together a squad to improve on their fortunes last year.
Everton travel to the US later this month for part of their pre-season tour and will play a fixture in the home city of Kaminski and his family, Minneapolis, on the evening of July 20 when they taken on Minnesota United, managed by former Everton hero Adrian Heath. The plan of the Kaminski bid was to try and tie up a deal by July 21 and introduce themselves to Lampard and his team during the Minneapolis visit.
The Kaminski bid claim that they remain at the table, in discussion still and ready to engage to try and move a deal on, although the Everton stance that has been relayed to the ECHO is at odds with that.
With Premier League clubs having real scarcity value to investors, particularly from the US, the break in talks between Moshiri and the Kaminski bid, whether temporary or permanent, may embolden others to show their hand in the race after it had been claimed that there were "no other serious bidders" in the race by sources close to the Kaminski group last week.
International media rights booming and the potential for new revenue streams to be introduced through a new stadium in the next couple of years as well as the opportunities presented by the convergence of football, media and entertainment mean that Everton remain at attractive proposition despite their profit and sustainability issues that were aided by the sale of Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur on Friday for a deal worth up to £60m.
READ NEXT
Burnley and Leeds drop complaint against Everton after Premier League message
Richarlison exit confirmed as Everton and Tottenham transfer details set
Everton and hummel unveil new home kit for 2022/23 season as club pays homage to famous crest
Bad Richarlison take could come true if Everton halt concerning transfer trend
