Everton owner The Friedkin Group is actively seeking new investors for the Premier League club. This development comes after a summer transfer window that has left the squad notably thin.
The Friedkin Group, headquartered in Houston, Texas, purchased Everton in late 2024 through its investment vehicle Roundhouse Capital. Since the takeover, CEO Dan Friedkin has not attended an Everton fixture. The group's portfolio also includes Italian Serie A side Roma and French club AS Cannes, and it is launching a new NHL franchise in Houston valued at approximately $3.5 billion. The search for fresh investment at Everton follows a turbulent period for the club on and off the pitch.
Last season, Everton finished 13th in the Premier League, continuing a run of failing to place in the top half of the table since the 2020-21 campaign. The summer just concluded saw significant upheaval in the playing squad. The club sold around £100 million worth of talent, including the high-profile departure of Ainsley Maitland-Niles for that same £100 million fee. Despite this income, reinforcements were scarce. A €5 million signing from Lyon on deadline day was the only addition, and a proposed £45 million move for striker Folarin Balogun collapsed. Everton also pulled out of a £40 million deal to sell Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest.
The result of the transfer activity is a squad with glaring deficiencies. As the window closed, Everton were left with just 18 senior outfield players and only one recognized senior striker, Thierno Barry. The club did record a profit of around £25 million across the transfer window, but the footballing cost appears high.
Fan groups have been vocal in their criticism. The Everton Fans’ Forum issued a statement condemning "failures in the transfer market which raise serious questions about the club’s planning, recruitment and decision-making." Also, the influential 1878s supporters' group announced it is "standing down for the foreseeable future because it does not feel that our fanbase’s ambitions and the club’s ambitions align right now."
Since acquiring Everton, The Friedkin Group has focused on financial restructuring. They refinanced the club's existing debt and secured lower-interest loans against Hill Dickinson Stadium. Last year, Jason Kidd and Christopher Sarofim took minority stakes in Roundhouse Capital, the entity through which the Everton purchase was made. The current search for new investors suggests a desire to share the financial burden or inject further capital as the club handles its competitive and squad-building challenges.
The immediate focus returns to the pitch. The team prepares for its next match with a threadbare group, a situation that will test manager and players in the weeks to come.
