A second American firm remains interested in investing in Everton but will likely wait until the outcome of two key matters before deciding whether to progress.
Miami-based investment fund 777 Partners have been a name linked with the Toffees for some weeks, with the firm having established a large football portfolio over the past two years, including the likes of Hertha Berlin, Genoa and Vasco da Gama. The ECHO understands talks took place recently between representatives of 777 Partners and Everton owner Farhad Moshiri.
A report in The Athletic on Monday claimed that the group, who also have investments in clubs such as Belgium side Standard Liege, Red Star FC in France and Australian club Melbourne Victory, maintain a ‘serious interest’ in an Everton investment move but are holding back until they know what league the relegation-threatened Blues will be playing in next season and the extent of any punishment that may be handed down in relation to their alleged breaches of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, where the club will appear before an independent committee.
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Last month, the venture capital firm owned by Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley, PCP Capital Partners, were reported by Bloomberg to have held 'exploratory' talks with 777 Partners over investment into the US firm's multi-club model.
Moshiri has been seeking for some time the sale of some of his 94 per cent stake in Everton, but moved away from ideas of a full sale last year after the collapse of takeover talks with a consortium fronted by former Manchester United CEO Peter Kenyon and featuring US real estate tycoon Maciek Kaminski and oil baron and investment veteran John Thornton.
Since then there have been talks with not only 777 Partners but with another US firm, MSP Sports Capital. Back in January, MSP co-founders Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad, along with company vice-president Peter Taylor, attended Everton’s defeat to Southampton.
Having held talks and visited the stadium development at Bramley-Moore Dock, hopes were that there would be a positive outcome reached in a timely manner. But while talks cooled a little, the MSP interest has not waned and they remain another seriously interested party in taking a stake in the club.
MSP, like 777 Partners, have interests in other football clubs and sporting organisations, with investment links to clubs such as FC Augsburg, AD Alcorcon, GD Estoril and SK Beveren, as well as a stake in the McLaren Formula One racing team.
MSP have also been linked to a potential full takeover bid for Tottenham Hotspur this year, reported by the Financial Times back in February, although it is understood to be a deal for Everton where the interest of the firm remains, with talks looking to push to a more advanced stage, although the same concerns around what the short to medium term future looks like for the club will also form part of their consideration.
Najafi and Moorad's firm are one that seeks to have a level of operational control when it comes to their investment portfolio.
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