Former Everton boss Keith Wyness has revealed it is “99.9 per cent certain” that Dan Friedkin will get Leadenhall’s legal approval to buy the club.
In a new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who was managing director at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy that advises elite clubs – claimed the legal battle was “the only one” that could threw a spanner in the works for an American billionaire.
Everton announced last month that an agreement had been reached with the Friedkin Group on the terms of the sale of Farhad Moshiri’s 94% stake.
Friedkin returned to negotiate the takeover after stepping down from the deal in July due to headaches over the mess after 777 Partners.
A-Cap has taken 777’s stake in the club, but its sale has been blocked by a legal case brought by Leadenhall in New York – court approval is required before any deal can be completed.
Court to wave Everton takeover off – ‘99.9% sure,’ says Wyness
Wyness insisted the deal would be approved “quite easily” despite the legal complications.
He told the Insider Track Football Insider podcast: “There are four approvals here.
“There will be three normal regulatory clearances in football which will be simple boxes with ticks and filled in quite simply.
“The fourth is about the Leadenhall case and the 777 Partners debt settlement.
“ACAP assumed that the debt and this acquisition had to be approved by a judge.
“Both sides have said they expect it to be approved fairly easily.
“We don’t foresee any problems and that’s the only thing I can see going wrong.
“You’re never quite sure in the legal world, but everyone I’ve spoken to is 99.9% sure it’s going to go through.
“Looks good. It could be a problem, but I don’t think so.”