The Premier League have been tipped to wave the takeover deal through ……

Dan Friedkin’s takeover of Everton is not considered to be a formality as the American conducts due diligence on the deal, The Times reports.

According to Paul Joyce via the paper’s website on 9 July there is still “plenty to consider” for the Roma chief and his group as he carries out his own investigations.

Friedkin has entered into an exclusivity deal with majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, whom he is tipped to pay a minimal fee for the club itself and far less than previous prospective buyers 777 Partners [The Esk, 7 July].

The Premier League have been tipped to wave the takeover deal through [Tutto Mercato Web, 18 June], although the entire process may not be done by the start of the new season even if no major issues arise according to Sky Sports’ Alan Myers on 6 July.

Friedkin Group has exclusivity agreement with Everton owner Farhad Moshiri
It has previously been suggested that complications may arise from 777’s involvement via their £200million-plus loans provided through last season, based on the lack of sufficient records at their stricken Australian airline Bonza [The Esk, 30 June].

Perhaps more ominously there are also said to be potential legal issues to a Friedkin buyout that are not yet in the public domain, which have also been tipped to be the largest barrier to a successful takeover [The Esk, 21 June].

And yet, more positively, there has been no indication that a specific issue has arisen, nor have there been any reports indicating the Friedkin Group itself would struggle from their end, in stark contrast to the months of red flags around 777.

The complicated nature of the situation at Goodison Park after the past few years of the Moshiri reign is well-documented, and Friedkin would not have been entering into an agreement with the Toffees owner entirely blind of that fact.

Unfortunately for Evertonians it would be nothing new for something to derail this process, with investment or takeover attempts by Maciek Kaminski, then MSP Sports Capital, and finally 777 ultimately not going according to plan over the past two years.

But the indications around the current bid remain far more positive so hope for a new era to finally arrive remains, even if nothing can be considered a foregone conclusion.