Everton takeover frontrunner Dan Friedkin’s template for the club he already owns offers a glimpse at what Blues might expect should he secure a deal for the Goodison Park outfit.
The US billionaire took control of Italian giants Roma in 2020, working through the chaos caused by the pandemic to complete the deal. His first words to the fanbase outlined an approach based on providing stability, setting a culture for success and empowering the club’s football experts to make decisions.
In an interview with the club website shortly after his takeover, he explained: “We are big believers in stability and culture. This is important in our existing businesses, and it’s critically important in football. We try to identify, and more importantly support, strong management. We prefer to be seen rather than heard… We believe that a winning culture must start at the top, and we intend to lead by example.”
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Friedkin also appeared to show a willingness to listen to supporters and take on their views as he set about creating a brighter future for the Serie A side. Representatives had engaged with supporters at an early stage, according to his comments. He said: “We intend to listen a lot – and we have already been listening – and what we have heard so far is that the fans want three things – a team to be proud of, a club that appreciates, understands and shares their passion, and an ownership that is both present and honest.”
He stressed his desire to take the club forward but that patience was needed – and reiterated the approach of action over rhetoric. His parting message to the fans was: “We vow to work tirelessly to build a team that the fans can be proud of for many years to come.”
Since then, Roma have clinched the club’s first European silverware by winning the Europa Conference League. The club reached the semi-finals of the Europa League this season and has finished sixth in Serie A for three consecutive seasons.
Friedkin’s bid emerged as the frontrunner on Friday amid a congested field of rival offers and vested interests. Blues majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri had received several proposals, including from a consortium of international investors led by London-based businessman Vatche Manoukian, a separate consortium led by UK-based Vici Private Finance, and an offer led by Everton supporters and successful businessmen Andy Bell and George Downing, which was supported by finance from the merchant bank that controls the wealth of tech billionaire Michael Dell.
While no formal announcement has been made about the advance of Friedkin’s bid, competing groups appeared aware of the development. Manoukian issued a statement in which he appeared to concede defeat and wished Everton the best for the future.