RATCLIFFE: IT NEEDS A SHEIKH-UP

KEVIN RATCLIFFE would prefer a sheikh to bring back the golden years to Goodison Park instead of an American takeover.

Investment company 777 Partners have agreed to buy owner Farhad Moshiri’s 94 percent stake in the Merseyside club, but they face a lengthy Premier League investigation.

Ratcliffe (right), the Toffees’ most successful captain, said: “Why is there no Middle East interest in the club or even interest from Asia? Everton is still a huge club with a fantastic history. Right now we need a huge injection of money, but also stability.

“Everton fans must look at Manchester City with envy. Everton are just as big a club and I just wish we had our own sheikh to make a similar impact because, under Farhad Moshiri, it’s been rudderless.

“The way things are going, Everton will have the best ground in the Championship. It’s embarrassing.”

Since dipping into his pockets in 2016, Moshiri has shelled out more than £750million – and also faces a £900m bill for the new Bramley-moore Dock stadium. But Ratcliffe, who led the club to glory in the 1980s – including two league titles – said: “There needs to be a proper takeover, someone or some people with real money ready to push the club forward and sort out the mess. It’s not just on the field. Off it, there’s the worry over financial fair play and the punishment the club could face. “There’s an important few months coming up. To make progress and banish the relegation worries, a positive takeover has to happen. The new money has to be spent right. “In the past, Everton have paid over the odds for bang-average players – that has got to stop. “We seem to have been taken for a ride on far too many occasions. Due diligence has obviously not taken place. I would have thought Moshiri would have expected a lot more for his investment.”