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Everton investment: Toffees reach exclusivity agreement with MSP Sports Capital

By Shamoon HafezBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section EvertonBBC Russian658

Everton's Goodison Park ground
Everton are currently two points above the relegation zone

Everton have reached an exclusivity agreement with New York-based company MSP Sports Capital for investment in the club, BBC Sport understands.

Sources say the deal is not yet done but talks are progressing over funding.

MSP looks to have jumped ahead of 777 Partners, which had been in talks over a takeover from owner Farhad Moshiri.

The club require funding for their new stadium, being built on Bramley Moore Dock, after costs increased from £500m to about £760m.

And in their latest accounts, the club posted financial losses for a fifth successive year. Their losses have totalled more than £430m over that period.

The Toffees are currently two points above the Premier League's relegation zone with one game remaining.

However, the Toffees will drop into the bottom three if Leicester win at Newcastle on Monday (20:00 BST).

MSP is believed to be looking for a 25% stake with a preferential share structure, not equity in the club, so would be paid back in interest.

777 has had access to the 'data room' (financial accounts), but has not been prepared to pay a 'significant' price owing to the debt on the balance sheet - which stood at £141.7m in the latest accounts.BBC Russian

Can Everton ever be great again?

In February, Moshiri told the fans' advisory boardBBC Russian the club was "not for sale" but he had been talking to "top investors of real quality".

British-Iranian businessman Moshiri has invested more than £750m of his own money since 2016, but some supporters are deeply unhappy about his ownership of the club.

Toffees fans have held protests before some home games this season and have called for Moshiri and the board to leave the club.

It is understood MSP will likely expect representation in the boardroom if it does complete a minority investment in the club.

An exclusivity agreement is described as a document in which a prospective buyer and seller agree to deal solely with each other in anticipation of an exchange of contracts by the end of a fixed period of time.

In this case, it protects MSP from being outbid by another party but it does not offer full protection from that happening outside of the specified time period.

What is MSP?

MSP Sports Capital members at Goodison Park during Everton's loss to Southampton
Senior figures from MSP Sports Capital attended Everton's 2-1 home defeat by Southampton on 14 January

MSP Sports Capital describes itself as an investor in sports teams, leagues and businesses that "pursue ambitious, challenging tasks".

Its current portfolio includes European clubs such as Brondby in Denmark, Augsburg in Germany and Estoril of Portugal.

Its chairman, Iranian-American billionaire Jahm Najafi, is the vice-chairman of McLaren and also a minority owner of NBA team Phoenix Suns.

He attended the defeat by Southampton at Goodison Park in January and his net worth was valued at £2.9bn by the Paddock MagazineBBC Russian in 2021.

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658 comments

  • Comment posted by joepublic, at 15:56 22 May 2023

    Most people I know think the Premier League is the Emperor's new clothes. A collection of the worlds so called best players/mercenaries playing for the benefit of Sky TV whilst trading off the back of English football heritage. Not for me.

    • Reply posted by pelletking, at 16:36 22 May 2023

      pelletking replied:
      In English?

  • Comment posted by discowafers, at 15:18 22 May 2023

    Wow £750 million invested already you can't say that the investment hasn't been there. That's a lot of money.

    • Reply posted by Maltesetoxteth , at 15:25 22 May 2023

      Maltesetoxteth replied:
      £750 million and I moaned at £250 on blinds for the front living room

  • Comment posted by General-Richa, at 15:24 22 May 2023

    Who in their right mind would give money to Moshiri?... Remove Moshiri, Kenwright & the board & there may be some sense in investing, but to give that lot money is akin to burning it... Right now Everton need people who know what they're doing at the top, specifically who are capable of undoing years of poor leadership of this broken club, throwing more money towards the current lot is not the way

    • Reply posted by jude nelson, at 15:42 22 May 2023

      jude nelson replied:
      It's alarm bells that the team who looked at the books said "no thanks" and this guy who is offering essentially a huge pay day loan is welcomed as good news...

  • Comment posted by hiphopanonymous, at 15:12 22 May 2023

    Give it a week and their investment could be half price.

    • Reply posted by OutsidersPOV, at 15:50 22 May 2023

      OutsidersPOV replied:
      The problem with investment is that the investors want their money back plus interest. The fans pay both. Water, rail and energy companies are all examples of how the customer is eventually screwed.

  • Comment posted by saddletramp , at 15:23 22 May 2023

    " Everton have reached reached an Exclusivity agreement with MSP Sports capital"

    "Sources have said the deal is not yet done"

    Make your mind up.

    • Reply posted by evening, at 15:29 22 May 2023

      evening replied:
      All depends if they go down that's why

  • Comment posted by Texjohn, at 15:21 22 May 2023

    Read the headline and thought Everton had done a deal with Scottish government. Then they would have really been in trouble

    • Reply posted by Maltesetoxteth , at 15:24 22 May 2023

      Maltesetoxteth replied:
      You have just made me spill my milkshake sat in McDonald’s car park ,that has got to be the best I have heard in ages thank you so much

  • Comment posted by ToxicMonkeyMZC, at 15:54 22 May 2023

    I really hope Everton can stay in the Premier League. I'm 55 and the local (Liverpool v Everton) derby matches are pure gold. I couldn't imagine life without Everton. Anything which helps the team is welcome.
    Yes I am a Liverpool fan, but I have a huge respect for the blue menace.

    • Reply posted by R812, at 16:05 22 May 2023

      R812 replied:
      As do majority of your friends and many others , yes it is 3 easy points , but many are real friends , none of this childish so called banter,

  • Comment posted by Paul, at 15:42 22 May 2023

    Basically the Board need to mind their own business and get a competent Manager with his own team to decide which players they want - then maybe there could be some advancement. People who know nothing about football should not be making player decisions.
    Simple

    • Reply posted by Whitehart, at 16:51 22 May 2023

      Whitehart replied:
      Neither should fans for that matter.

  • Comment posted by Iain, at 15:20 22 May 2023

    I guess this shows there's a difference between investing £750m and investing it well.

    • Reply posted by jimmyb, at 15:31 22 May 2023

      jimmyb replied:
      Much like the owner of Tottenham. Levy has spent plenty of money, but him and his sporting directors made a long series of really bad decisions on players.

      Chelsea are in much the same state now with Boehly.

      Outside of Moshiri appointing a sporting director and coach who actually know what they're doing, tough to see how the situation can improve. Especially if they go down.

  • Comment posted by PatChin1, at 16:22 22 May 2023

    They deserve to go down for fudging their figures. Claiming 3 times the amount of covid losses than any other premier league club is criminal and the fact they've been allowed to get away with a bare faced lie is even worse.

    • Reply posted by D1686919475009, at 16:39 22 May 2023

      D1686919475009 replied:
      Yes, good point. It’s absolutely ridiculous. To claim significantly bigger match day losses than Utd (who understandly were hit hardest) is just appalling.

      Ironically with or without their fake claims the losses are way in excess of allowable limits.

      What concerns me is the time factor and potential impact on innocent bystanders Leeds and Leicester.

  • Comment posted by Steve Mclawrence, at 15:18 22 May 2023

    They'll survive, at the expense of Leeds I hope. Can't see Leicester doing anything at Newcastle tonight.

    • Reply posted by IJB, at 15:24 22 May 2023

      IJB replied:
      Agreed City will get beat by the proper United tonight

  • Comment posted by marklaurens, at 16:35 22 May 2023

    Another USA based company coming in to suck funds and profits out of another European club. Another USA company that will push the franchise agenda to keep the money in a closed system.
    I'd rather have oil Sheiks every day of the week.

    • Reply posted by footballguy, at 17:25 22 May 2023

      footballguy replied:
      dirty money or stingy money is a choice I guess.

  • Comment posted by Allan, at 15:16 22 May 2023

    If there is so much money being earned in football why do owners still have to put so much in? The current owner has invested £750m and yet he still gets protests.

    • Reply posted by jayo, at 15:19 22 May 2023

      jayo replied:
      If it’s actually his money!

  • Comment posted by D Hughes, at 15:14 22 May 2023

    The problem is Bill Kenwright as much as Moshiri.

    • Reply posted by LeaveMeAlone, at 16:20 22 May 2023

      LeaveMeAlone replied:
      Has Bill accounted for the Arteta money yet?

  • Comment posted by nosher, at 15:20 22 May 2023

    When will the FL investigation into over spendinv be announced ?

    • Reply posted by Common Sense mate, at 15:26 22 May 2023

      Common Sense mate replied:
      Already has. And without state backed influence that city have, they will find it harder to avoid punishment.

  • Comment posted by D1693707812699, at 16:32 22 May 2023

    Everton fans are decent. Good club and deserve decent ownership

    • Reply posted by Andyo, at 16:34 22 May 2023

      Andyo replied:
      Well said

  • Comment posted by footyfan, at 18:13 22 May 2023

    The trouble with football fans is they’re always screaming for the club to spend money, it’s not their money and would they spend the money if they had it ??? It’s easy to spend other people’s money

  • Comment posted by honoerectus, at 16:13 22 May 2023

    Thinks stinks of a company investing that's connected to the owner, probably to try and circumvent FFP rules

    • Reply posted by LeaveMeAlone, at 16:21 22 May 2023

      LeaveMeAlone replied:
      They have to replace the Usmanov money somehow.

  • Comment posted by Loadsamoney, at 18:20 22 May 2023

    £750 million investment?
    Chelsea’s transfer budget for January.

  • Comment posted by eric squalor, at 22:31 22 May 2023

    Leicester drew.
    I'm going to carry me dog down Spellow Lane above me head.
    Can't wait for Sunday, Season ticket in the Labone lounge enables me in the Directors Box.
    Loads of space these days.

    • Reply posted by Trainee Police Officer, at 22:33 22 May 2023

      Trainee Police Officer replied:
      Have ya got your headlock moves prepared? Has yous cleaned your lonsdales.

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