Football financial specialist Kieran Maguire believes Dan Friedkin’s Everton takeover may be completed in a ‘matter of months’. The Friedkin Group, owned by the American, has been granted exclusive rights to purchase the 94.1% stake held by majority owner Farhad Moshiri. Friedkin’s interest came after 777 Partners’ plan collapsed at the end of May having failed for their deal to be granted the go light by the Premier League. Friedkin has already repaid a loan of £158 million to MSP Sports Capital and local businessmen Andy Bell and George Downing. In addition, the Texan already owns Italian club AS Roma and has an estimated net worth of $6.4 billion.

As a result, Maguire, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool, feels Friedkin will have no trouble passing the Premier League and FA’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test. The only potential issue is if Moshiri’moves the goalposts’ regarding the deal. Speaking on his podcast The Price of Football, Maguire said: “I am feeling more and more positive. We have been consistent from day one. We have never liked 777 and have always stated that there are many others who are interested. “We are the Friedkin Group. As we all know, they are the proprietors of Roma. Everton has a number of outstanding loans, those loans were due for repayment, and it appears that the first of loans in relation to MSP