The Friedkin family, owners of AS Roma, are one of several groups looking to buy Everton. The situation for Toffees fans is looking a little rosier after all they’ve been through during the 777 drama.
There’s now multiple options to move forward, and Friedkin are hoping it will be them who get the nod. On Sunday we covered a report from Italy which insisted AS Roma would be the senior partner in the multi-club group, so Everton would have to be second to them.
That’s obviously questionable, and today Gazzetta dello Sport have enlisted a football business expert to explain to an Italian audience what the situation is likelier to be.
Andrea Sartori is CEO and founder of Football Benchmark, who provide advice to football clubs.
Asked about the advantages of a multi-club system, Sartori said: “Synergies, information sharing, scouting. Being able to negotiate with sponsors on multiple markets, some of which are unattractive at certain levels. And then the trading of players, even if today with limitations, and their valorisation. At Red Bull they are masters: in 5 years 19 players have moved from Salzburg to Leipzig, two in reverse. You always need a dominant club.”
He was then pressed gently to say how he sees it, with regards to the dominance point: “Two clubs almost equivalent in terms of history, perception, exposure of the brand. And compared to other situations there is a higher risk of playing in the same European competition.”
Asked why the Friedkin family is so interested in Everton, he said: “Maybe to enter the Premier League, but there are the big six there and competing with them is really tough. The stadium is certainly very attractive.”
There’s likely a growing realisation around AS Roma that if this deal goes through it’s far from guaranteed that they’re actually going to be the dominant partner in the group, and the group’s attention may well be more on Everton.
That, obviously, would not go down well.
