Everton up for sale: David Moyes sends message to fans after “surprise” ownership decision

Everton manager David Moyes has admitted his astonishment astatine the nine being enactment up for merchantability by owners The Friedkin Group.

It was announced connected Friday greeting that The Friedkin Group are exploring caller concern options for the club, including “the imaginable merchantability of a controlling interest”.

The determination comes little than 2 years aft the American group, led by billionaire Dan Friedkin, completed their afloat takeover of the Toffees from Farhad Moshiri successful a woody worthy successful excess of £400m.

Speaking astatine a property league a fewer hours aft the quality was released, Moyes acknowledged that helium archetypal felt signs of the owners not being afloat committed during the summertime transportation window.

"Yeah I was surprised, they'd lone came successful a twelvemonth and a fractional ago," Moyes told reporters. "Most owners travel successful for a batch longer than that. We were each expecting them to beryllium present for 20 to 30 years, nevertheless agelong it whitethorn be.

"But possibly the mode things worked retired implicit the transportation window, I astir apt had seen done it a small spot earlier that. It's astir apt each determination for Evertonians to spot now.

Moyes: “A small spot surprised, but possibly not truly that surprised"

"I genuinely believed that with caller ownership who were successful for it wholly with america all, my ambition coming backmost was to get Everton backmost to the levels they'd been astatine successful the past - challenging for Europe much often, being astir it.

"And astir apt you could archer with however I've been a batch implicit the summertime that that's the mode it's been. It's been a hard summertime for us.

"I lone recovered retired this greeting myself on with everybody else. I'm a small spot surprised, but possibly not truly that surprised."

Moyes does not consciousness fto down by The Friedkin Group, but helium has sympathised with the club’s supporters who person endured “difficult periods”.

In a turbulent three-year saga, erstwhile bulk proprietor Moshiri failed to finalise deals with 777 Partners and John Textor arsenic some takeover bids fell through, portion The Friedkin Group besides saw aboriginal negotiations illness earlier yet striking an statement successful December 2024.

Moyes “disappointed” for Everton fans arsenic further uncertainty lies ahead

“No (I don't consciousness fto down) due to the fact that I emotion this nine excessively overmuch and they could person sold it (the job) to maine astatine immoderate clip and I inactive would person taken it,” the Scotsman added.

“It's for Evertonians that I'm much disappointed due to the fact that they've been done truthful galore hard periods. The past happening they truly wanted to perceive was this.

"We went done a play (last year) without excessively overmuch drama, isolated from the wealth we had to wage for Burnley, but we were challenging astatine the close extremity of the league.

“So I'm much disappointed for Evertonians that they person to spell done different play of 'who are going to beryllium the caller owners'."

Moyes continued: “It’s a large nine and if there’s anyone retired determination who wants to bargain it, and if they privation to talk me, I’ll beryllium the archetypal 1 to speech to them and fto them cognize it’s worthy buying.”

Everton, allegedly valued by The Friedkin Group astatine astir £800m, missed retired connected European qualification past play and person since made an unbeaten commencement to the caller Premier League season, winning 2 and drafting 3 of their archetypal 5 games.

Sitting seventh successful the table and level connected points with Brentford successful fourth, the Toffees question to Hull City for their adjacent top-flight fixture connected Sunday.