This tiresome takeover saga has been going on for so long now that I think most Everton fans are simply fed up with the situation.
When the Friedkin Group pulled out of exclusive talks it agreed to with Farhad Moshiri earlier this month, it was a depressingly familiar scenario.
It was the fourth time in the past two years that a potential new owner appeared to be heading for a deal that fell through and left the Toffees in first place.
The problem now for the Blues is that the failed attempt by 777 Partners – which lasted almost a year while the team faced unprecedented problems with two points deducted for PSR infringements – has left Everton with serious and complex debts.
That’s because the club has already received loans from other creditors while a proposed takeover by Miami’s investment group dragged on.
777 Partners also provided the Toffees with the money to keep the club going, pay the bills and basically keep the lights on.
However, the 777 became embroiled in a series of legal issues in the final months of its exclusive period, which ultimately meant it was unable to meet the terms of its takeover before the start of June this year.
Dan Friedkin’s group paid off some of those creditors’ debts and apparently secured future funding for the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
However, this means they have become the last creditors Everton owe money to in the long term.
However, they have pulled out of the deal as there appear to be complicated legal circumstances at the moment surrounding the loans being made to the club by 777 Partners.
Now former Blues chief executive Keith Wyness says it could be a year before those debts are resolved and a new owner can take control of Everton.
This appears to be due to these legal issues and the fact that, according to this report, it has been claimed that 777 Partners effectively no longer exists.
Therefore, it can be very difficult to find out who owes this money and how and when it will be repaid.
This could deter a potential new owner or make the process as long and drawn out as we have witnessed in the past. If this were to be true, the long-term financial viability of the club is called into question.
Meanwhile, Everton’s director of football Kevin Thelwell and manager Sean Dyche must do everything they can to strengthen the first team in very difficult circumstances.
And overall they have done well, with five signings and the replacement of three players who were not central to Dyche’s plans.
Hopefully there will be some more activity before the end of the transfer window at the end of the month, which will almost certainly depend on further player sales.
Although there is talk of interest from other parties, who knows when and if Everton’s ownership will ever be resolved.