Blues set for China millions
EVERTON are in advanced talks with a Chinese consortium for a multimillion pound investment to help them break into the Premier League elite.
Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri is determined a £300million move to a new stadium won’t derail the club’s assault on the top four.
As a former Arsenal shareholder the Britishiranian billionaire saw how the move from Highbury to the Emirates restricted boss Arsene Wenger’s transfer spending – one reason the Gunners haven’t won the title in 13 years.
It’s why he has been leading moves for a prominent partner to help pay for the Blues’ planned new stadium in the Bramley Moore dock area of Liverpool.
That would leave Moshiri free to continue to provide funds for the big signings to take Everton to the next level. The promise of a substantial transfer war chest is vital to keep the ambitious Goodison boss Ronald Koeman on Merseyside. Koeman is resigned to losing star striker Romelu Lukaku, who has a gentleman’s agreement allowing him to leave this summer if Everton haven’t qualified for next season’s Champions League.
There are also doubts over England midfielder Ross Barkley’s future.
But Koeman wants to use the incoming transfer cash together with much more from Moshiri to compete at the top end of the market.
He is favourite to snap up Burnley central-defender Michael Keane and also fancies Southampton’s stopper Virgil van Dijk.
Koeman will be in for Swansea midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson and Tottenham full-back Kevin Trippier and knows big money will be needed to replace Lukaku.
It’s why Moshiri, with chairman Bill Kenwright, is moving in on a lucrative partnership with a footballmad Chinese consortium who will almost certainly be awarded the naming rights for the new stadium.