David Moyes did not hide his reaction to the news that Everton’s American owners want out less than two years after taking charge.
“I was surprised because they only came in a year and a half ago,” Moyes told reporters on Friday, hours after The Friedkin Group announced it was exploring new investment options for the club.
“It’s for Evertonians that I am more disappointed. They have been through so many difficult periods.”
The owners confirmed the move on 9 October, saying they had retained investment bank Moelis & Company to lead the process. Their statement said the group would “only entertain interest from parties who we strongly believe will be the right stewards to take the Club forward”, and that it would not comment further while the work was under way.
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How much the Friedkins want
Reported figures diverge sharply. Paul Joyce of The Times put the asking price at around £800m, a figure said to include roughly £380m in club debt. A separate report attributed to Alan Nixon suggested the group would seek “north of £1bn”, well above its original December 2024 investment.
Football finance analyst Kieran Maguire placed the realistic range at the lower end.
“With selling to a different market than the one inherited from Moshiri, and with Palace on the market for £600m, then I’d be looking for £800-900m for Everton,” he said in an interview reported by Yahoo Sports.
In May 2026, Forbes valued Everton at $930m, ranking the club 25th globally and crediting the Hill Dickinson Stadium and annual revenues of $255m, according to Sportcal.
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Moyes’ future and the next owner
Moyes returned to the Everton dugout in January 2025 for a second spell as manager. His contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 season, and his departure is reportedly viewed as almost certain over the coming months, with his exit potentially making the club more attractive to a buyer wanting to pick a successor.
Moyes himself declined to be drawn on his position.
“I’ve not really thought about it yet from that point of view,” he said when asked about his future, before adding a sales pitch of his own.
“If anyone wants to speak to me then I will be the first person to let them know that it is certainly worth buying.”
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The Friedkin Group bought a 99.5% stake from Farhad Moshiri in December 2024 for a reported fee of more than £400m. Its 9 October statement committed to continued financial support of Everton while the sale process is under way.
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