More madness at Everton as Moshiri now agrees to sell club to 777 Partners

What a week in a recent history of crazy weeks, months and years as Everton owner Farhad Moshiri announced today that he had agreed to sell his 94% controlling stake to 777 Partners.

Just 24 hours ago I wrote that there was considerable doubt about whether the American investment group would be a good potential owner after some stories were circulating about their past and the UK Government’s position on a possible deal.

Then this morning it was announced by Moshiri that he had in fact reached an agreement with the US financiers to sell Everton and move on! Apparently, none of these issues are a problem.

In his statement, Moshiri claimed that having considered the options available to him he concluded that 777 Partners were the best investment group to take the club forward. Really?

What are we supporters to make of all this?

First of all it does seem as though Moshiri’s preferred potential partners/new owners all along were the other American investment group, MSP Sports Capital.

They entered into an exclusivity agreement with the Blues owner a few months ago after both groups had been in talks with the Iranian since at least the beginning of the year.

Although they have put finance in for the new ground at Bramley-Moore Dock, MSP have now however recently withdrawn from any further funding for the club leading Moshiri to re-open discussions with 777 Partners amid more confusion and uncertainty about the Toffees future.

So you could see this statement of course as just a means of trying to get around the awkward fact that his preferred option has pulled out.

Whatever, it doesn’t really matter. What is important is whether any new owners (be that 777 Partners and that is still a big if, or another) can turn around what has been a sinking ship of a football club for far too long.

And that is a huge unknown given all the issues and concerns that exist about this group, their finances and their current involvement in European clubs, none of which has been hugely successful.

Nothing is likely to happen until the end of the year and that leaves yet more uncertainty about who is running things and making any key decisions at Goodison Park until then.

Everton desperately need a stable and functioning business structure that is sustainable and can provide a solid foundation for the future, both on and off the pitch.

As I have said before, the Toffees need to look at clubs such as Brighton to see how competitiveness and success can be built on limited funds, provided you have good leadership, effective scouting and a consistent football strategy and model.

Just this summer the Seagulls have sold two midfielders for a combined figure of around £140 million. That is a stagggering sum, particularly when you consider how little they paid originally for those players.

Moses Caicedo’s protracted move from the Amex Stadium eventually to Chelsea for example, represented a huge profit for the South Coast club, something close to £100 million.

That sort of successful business and football model generates enormous funds for the club to re-invest in further strengthening the team while also maintaning healthy profitability. And all without a sugar daddy owner just spraying millions around.

If they do takeover the Blues, can 777 Partners achieve something similar and revive this once great club’s fortunes? That will be the key question they must answer to the satisfaction of Evertonians.