By Mark Baber
February 29 – Everton will have a new major shareholder after Iranian-British billionaire Farhad Moshiri on Friday sold his shares in Red and White Holdings to his business partner Alisher Usmanov before it was announced on Saturday that he would be acquiring 49.9% of Everton, conditional on Premier League approval.
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright commented on the new deal saying: “After an exhaustive search I believe we have found the perfect partner to take the club forward. I have got to know Farhad well over the last 18 months and his football knowledge, financial wherewithal and True Blue spirit have convinced me that he is the right man to support Everton.”
Moshiri commented: “I am delighted to take this opportunity to become a shareholder in Everton, with its rich heritage as one of Europe’s leading football clubs. There has never been a more level playing field in the Premier League than now. Bill Kenwright has taught me what it means to be an Evertonian and I look forward with excitement to working with him to help deliver success for Everton in the future.”
Moshiri began his career as a chartered accountant, developing a strong friendship with Alisher Usmanov and he now holds 10% of the shares in Russian mining and steel manufacturing giant Metalloninvest and a share of Russian mobile phone operator Megafon. His wealth has been estimated by Forbes as standing at around £1.3 billion.
Whilst Usmanov has developed strong credentials as an Arsenal fan, despite being rebuffed in his efforts to wield more influence at the club, Moshiri has been a long-term Manchester United fan and was even in talks about taking a shareholding in Liverpool before he and Usmanov decided to invest in the Russian oligarch’s favourite club.
Other potential investors in the club, including Americans John Jay Moores and Charles Noell as well as a wealthy Jordanian and two China-based groups are understood to have dilly-dallied around and to have been less enthusiastic about current chairman Bill Kenwright’s continued role at the club.
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