John Textor, a potential Everton owner
American businessman John Textor has likened the opportunity to become Everton’s new owner to a bid to become President of the United States.
Aged 58, Textor has entered a period of exclusivity with Farhad Moshiri, the majority shareholder of Everton. However, he must first sell his stake in rival club Crystal Palace before finalizing any deal.
In an interview with Sky Sports News, Textor expressed confidence that the deal could be completed before its exclusivity expires on November 30.
“No one wakes up one morning and says, ‘Today I’m going to buy Everton,’” Textor said.
“But if you decide that Football is what you want in your life and someone asks you if you want to become the owner of Everton, it’s comparable to an offer to become President of the United States. Naturally, you are interested.”
Textor is the fifth bidder to benefit from an exclusivity period granted by Moshiri. The previous season, Everton were penalized eight points for various breaches of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
He also owns shares in Ligue 1 club Lyon, Brazilian club Botafogo and Molenbeek in Belgium. Textor revealed it had received two serious offers to sell its shares to Palace, with 14 groups showing initial interest, but admitted the situation prevented it from examining Everton’s accounts in detail.
“I am in a difficult position, but we are working on the solution,” he explained. “The tricky position comes from the fact that I understand the club’s position… the accounting situation, and I think it’s manageable in terms of the PSR issue.”
Textor has denied holding discussions with candidates to replace current Everton manager Sean Dyche.
He also said he would adopt a different recruitment model, based on his knowledge of world football, and would like to speak with Dyche first to see if he can work towards that.
“I haven’t spoken to any coaches about the job at Everton,” he clarified. “That’s not true. I don’t know Sean personally, but I watched him for so many years at Burnley, where he achieved wonders on a limited budget, so it’s clear he knows how to coach in the Premier League.”
“I would like to sit down with him at some point and tell him that I am going to bring him a very different profile of players from all parts of the world and ask him if he is interested. I want to know if he can coach this team.”
John Textor’s journey highlights the challenges and opportunities of acquiring a European football club. His ambitions and vision for Everton could transform the club, especially in a context where the Premier League’s profitability rules are stricter than ever. This raises the question of club management and development in an increasingly competitive environment. Decisions made in the coming months will determine the future of Everton and the impact Textor could have on the club and its squad.
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