Michael Dell not involved in Everton takeover, despite reports linking tech titan to Premier League club

By James Rogers

Takeover talk is swirling around Everton after sale to 777 Partners falls through

Dell Technologies Inc. Chief Executive Michael Dell is not involved in a takeover bid for English football club Everton, MarketWatch has learned, despite reports linking the billionaire to efforts to take control of the historic Premier League club.

A source with knowledge of the matter told MarketWatch that neither the Dell (DELL) CEO nor his family investment office, DFO Management, are involved in backing a bid for Everton.

Takeover talk is swirling around Everton following the recent collapse of owner Farhad Moshiri's deal to sell to Miami-based private investment firm 777 Partners. The deal would have seen 777 Partners join a growing list of American owners of Premier League clubs, including the Stan Kroenke at Arsenal, the Glazer family at Manchester United (MANU) and Fenway Sports Group at Liverpool. In 2022, a consortium of U.S. investors led by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly purchased Chelsea Football Club for 2.5 billion pounds, or $3.1 billion.

Related: Fans are already opposing deal for Miami-based firm to buy U.K. soccer club Everton

A host of names have been linked to the Everton takeover bids, including Andy Bell, co-founder and former CEO of the financial services provider and investment platform AJ Bell, and property magnate George Downing, chairman of property and investment group Downing. The two businessmen, who are both lifelong Evertonians and existing creditors of the club, are understood to be putting together a bid, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Downing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. MarketWatch has been unable to reach Bell.

Other figures that have been linked to a potential Everton takeover include London-based tech investor Vatche Manoukian; John Textor, the American co-owner of Premier League club Crystal Palace; Dan Friedkin, the American owner of Italian club Roma and CEO of the Friedkin Group; and investment firm MSP Sports Capital, which is already an Everton creditor.

Related: Premier League club Everton attracting takeover interest from SPAC co-led by George Soros' nephew, report says

Manoukian, Textor, Friedkin and MSP Sports Capital did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Last week, the Financial Times reported that merchant bank BDT & MSD Partners is ready to provide financing to Everton as part of a takeover, but has not yet agreed to back any of the creditors.

BDT & MSD Partners did not immediately respond to a request for comment. DFO Management declined to comment.

Related: Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus wants to buy Inter Milan from club's new owner Oaktree

MSD Partners, which emerged from Michael Dell's family office, merged with merchant bank BDT in January 2023. MSD, through MSD UK Holdings, has provided loans to a number of English soccer clubs, including Burnley and Southampton.

One of England's oldest clubs, Everton was established in 1878 and was a founding member of the Football League in 1888. The club has won England's top division on nine occasions and has played in the Premier League since its creation in 1992.

Recent seasons have been extremely challenging for Everton, with the club skirting relegation, only clinching survival in its penultimate and final games of the season in 2022 and 2023, respectively. In November, the club was handed a 10-point deduction for breaching Premier League financial rules, subsequently reduced to six on appeal. Everton received another two-point deduction for breaching financial rules in April. Despite the points deductions, Everton clinched Premier League safety with three games to spare.

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A force in English football in the 1980s, Everton were crowned champions in 1985 and 1987, and also won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1985. The club is currently on the longest trophy drought in its history, with its last trophy being an F.A. Cup win in 1995. Everton's last relegation from England's top flight was in 1951.

-James Rogers

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06-12-24 1735ET

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