Crystal Palace co-owner, John Textor, has announced his intention to divest his current stake in the club in order to pursue the acquisition of Everton. Textor, who possesses a 45% ownership of Palace through his company Eagle Football, aspires to secure a majority stake in another English club. Notably, his company already holds dominant positions in French side Lyon, Belgium outfit RWD Molenbeek, and Brazil’s Botafogo.
The decision has arisen from Textor’s recognition that Eagle Football’s “integrated sporting model” does not align with Crystal Palace. Consequently, he has engaged the services of investment banking group Raine to facilitate the sale of his stake, conveying his confidence in attracting interested parties.
Simultaneously, Textor has expressed interest in acquiring Everton. With the impending conclusion of the current takeover agreement with 777 Partners at the end of the month, Textor has emerged as one of the “unsolicited approaches” alluded to by Everton owner Farhad Moshiri.
In a formal statement, Textor articulated his openness to the prospect of acquiring Everton but underscored his reluctance to enter a situation where his presence is not welcomed. He disclosed, “I’m very open-minded to it, but I don’t want to come into a situation where I’m not really welcome. I’m watching it, but 777 still has a contract.”
However, Textor’s plans to formalise a bid for Everton are contingent upon his prior divestment of his stake in Palace, driven by his concerns that another party may seize the opportunity before he can pursue Everton.
In delineating his ambitions for Everton, Textor conveyed admiration for the club, characterising it as embodying “the best of English football”. He acknowledged the potential for the club to undergo a renaissance and underscored the significance of prudently evaluating the situation at Palace before embarking on a new venture.
As these developments unfold, the football community eagerly anticipates the materialisation of Textor’s intentions. The outcome of these prospective changes in ownership is keenly awaited.
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