Dan Friedkin’s first act after Everton takeover could be £40m off-pitch deal fans will love

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Dan Friedkin’s first act as the owner of Everton could be to strike a £40m deal that will be greatly welcomed by supporters.

The multi-billionaire AS Roma owner and media investor is expected to take over the club following the conclusion of exclusive talks with Farhad Moshiri.

Everton fans will likely take the view that anything besides Moshiri – and perhaps 777 Partners – will be an improvement on the previous regime.

Moshiri’s premiership at Goodison Park has been characterised by a scattergun approach to recruitment and, latterly, financial turmoil behind the scenes.

As well as the club’s well-publicised Profit and Sustainability concerns, the Toffees were also on the edge of experiencing cash flow issues before Friedkin signed heads of terms.

He is since believed to have taken over a £158m loan from previous takeover hopeful MSP Sports Capital.

That particular deal could now be the gateway for something that Everton fans would love to see post-takeover.

Everton takeover: Bell-Downing could be welcomed into fold by Friedkin

Two local millionaire Evertonians, Andy Bell and George Downing, were part of the group that lent Everton cash alongside MSP Sports Capital.

Now, Alan Nixon reports that Friedkin could offer the pair an equity stake in the club in lieu of repayment for their share of the loan believed to be worth around £40m.

The specifics of this potential deal are not known, but it is one that would likely go down well with supporters keen to see local representation behind the scenes.

Bell and Downing are highly successful businessmen in their own rights but would not have the capital to buy and run the club long-term.

A minority deal therefore would likely be an attractive option and one that would represent a PR win for Friedkin.

• READ MORE EVERTON FINANCE NEWS: Everton take action following Arsenal move as £50m off-pitch opportunity emerges

TBR Analysis: When will the Everton takeover be complete?

Without being privy to negotiations between Friedkin and Moshiri over the finer points of the deal, it is hard to know when exactly the takeover could go through.

The agreement with 777 Partners took so long, and eventually collapsed, because the Premier League refused to ratify it, not because of complications over terms.

That should not be an issue with Friedkin’s bid, which is perceived as much more credible.

That said, some investors – such as Crystal Palace’s John Textor – reportedly dropped out of the race because of concerns over Moshiri’s negotiations style.

So that might be one reason for Everton supporters not to be too optimistic of a deal in the immediate future.