Football

EPL: Everton Shareholders Demand Decision On Club Takeover

Everton's majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri is aiming to sell the club to 777 Partners, a Miamꦡi-based investment firm that has stakes in several other clubs, including Genoa and Standard Liege

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri (R) with 777 co-founder Josh Wande𓄧🍬r.
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Everton shareholders have urged Farhad Moshiri and the Premier League to make a decision on the future of the club. (More Football News)

The Toffees, who have been hit with two separate points deductions this season due to previous financial discrepancies, secured their Premier League status in Apri🅷l by beating Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Brent༺ford in the space of six days.

However, Everton remain in turmoil off the pitch, with majority shareholder Moshiri wanting out. He is aimi♍ng to sell the club to 777 Partners, a Miami-based investment firm that has stakes in several other clubs, including Genoa and Standard Liege.

There is no l๊ack of controversy surrounding 777, though, and their co-founders Josh Wander and Steve Pasko.

It has been c𓆉lose to eight months since Moshiri confirmed his intention to sell his 94.1 per cent stake in Everton to 777, but so far the group has been unable 🌜to pass the Premier League's Owners' and Directors test.

While 777 has pumped over £200mill🐟ion into Everton to fund the day-to-day running of the club, it has now the subject of multiple lawsuits.

One of these lawsuits is by Leadenhall Capital Partners LLP and Leadenhall Life Insurance Linked Invꦐestments Fund plc, in Ne𓆏w York.

Leadenhall claims Pasko and Wander "are operating a giant shell game🍸 at best, and an outright Ponzi scheme at worst".

On Tuesday, Everton's sha🍌reholders released a statement condemning the situ🥀ation.

The statement read: "We are the oldest shareholders’ association in the world and are dismayed by the lack of respect being shown to our f📖ootball club by the largest shareholder, Farhad Moshiri, and the Premier League during what seems a never-ending change of ownership process.

"We have observed with concern and frustration🔯 as it became increasingly clear that༺ a fit-for-purpose process cannot possibly take this long as the Premier League continues to demonstrate their inability to regulate.

"In the absence of the Premier League ­making a timely decision we insist that the Everton board, and Farhad Moshiri in particular, stop this ­damaging process now an𝄹d ­recognise that 777 Partners are not at this time fit-and-proper ­­prospective ­owners of Everton Football Club.

"The ­powers that be are being ­disrespectful to our fello⛎w ­shareholders, our ­fantastic ­worldwide fanbase and football as a whole by continuing to allow this farce to continue. We demand a ­decision and we demand it now."

Everton face Sheffield United on Saturday befꦛore rounding out their season with a trip to Arsenal.