Friedkin and Moshiri agree exclusivity as Everton takeover moves forward

The Liverpool Echo report that Friedkin has now entered into a period that normally lasts about a month or so when his company can thoroughly look at Everton in fine detail before a final deal is agreed.

We have of course been here before on several occasions, most recently with 777 Partners ultimately futile attempt to take control of the Toffees.

When that protracted and increasingly farcical process finally ended at the beginning of June, the Blues were left in limbo with a current owner unwilling to continue funding the club and desperate to sell, but no clue as to who, if anyone, was going to step forward and try to complete a takeover.

There was even the possibility that Everton might even face administration at some point in the near future if they couldn't find a new owner.

And so it also seemed inevitable that the Toffees would have to sell at least one, possibly two, of their best players to help balance the books and avoid another PSR breach next season as well.

Then came a sudden rush of interested parties in potentially taking over the Blues with Friedkin finally emerging as the front-runner.

Everton is attractive to these individuals and groups of investors chiefly because the brand new stadium at Bramely-Moore Dock is almost finished and will then hugely increase the asset value of the club.

This, together with a desire to perhaps revitalise an English club with a great history but one that has fallen on hard times recently (to put it mildly!) and restore it to something like it's former glories.

Anyway, now we have the wait-and-see exclusivity period for the fourth time as Friedkin's people look over the club and make sure there is nothing untoward they were not aware of before a final deal is done.

After that comes the process of approval with the Premier League, FA and Financial Conduct Authority all reviewing the bid before it can get the final green light.

That took months with 777 Partners and ultimately of course they couldn't get over the line in time. While it may be a similar period this time round, the general consensus is not with Friedkin's bid likely to get approval much more quickly.

If this is true it might finally be the case that the Blues might get a conclusion to this protracted and hugely frustrating period of uncertainty and instability, which has been so damaging to the club.

Friedkin does look a good bet to succeed Moshiri and seems to have both the resources and nous to turn things at Everton around. But we still cannot know for sure and have to hope it will at last turn out well.