Former Everton star Pat Nevin has warned that underinvestment from The Friedkin Group has ensured “dark clouds are gathering” at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The Blues’ Houston-based owners announced on October 9 that the club was up for sale, less than 22 months after completing their takeover to obtain Farhad Moshiri’s 99.5% controlling stake.
Sale announcement after transfer criticism
TFG’s statement came after they had come in for severe criticism over how Everton’s summer transfer window had ended. Back in August, the day after Sky Sports broadcast manager David Moyes insisting: “We’re still needing quite a few players to add to the squad,” Blues chief executive Angus Kinnear invited BBC Radio Merseyside’s Giulia Bould and fan media groups to a series of interviews at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The CEO, who is considered a mouthpiece for TFG – with chairman Dan Friedkin having never been to Goodison Park or Hill Dickinson Stadium or spoken to Moyes – claimed that the club’s ownership considered last season a failure as “They have bought Everton to win football matches.” However, in contrast to Moyes’ remarks, he claimed: “I think the squad’s in a really good place.”
Net spend and player sales
Kinnear also predicted: “This window again, I think we will spend more than most of our competitors, the owners are very keen to back us.” However, after the window closed the Blues were down in 15th place among Premier League clubs when it came to net spend. Indeed, they were one of just half a dozen teams to make a trading profit.
Although the owners performed a dramatic U-turn on plans to cash in on home-grown teenager Harrison Armstrong, who was set to be sold to Nottingham Forest for £40million before fans threatened to riot, they still pocketed over £100million on deadline day. Their most creative talent Iliman Ndiaye, last season’s top scorer Beto, Tim Iroegbunam and Nathan Patterson were all sold, plus Adam Aznou was loaned out. This ensured that following the late collapse of the purchase of USA World Cup star Folarin Balogun from Monaco, Everton were left with a first-team squad of 18 outfield players that contains just one striker, one left-back and one right-back.
Nevin's warning
Now, Pat Nevin, who joined Everton from Chelsea for £925,000 and made 150 appearances between 1988-92, scoring 21 goals, told BBC Sport: “I was at Hill Dickinson Stadium to see Everton lose their unbeaten record at the weekend.
“Beforehand, an understandably biased Toffees fan asked me if I thought they could win and even manage a top-six finish this season. I picked my jaw up from the floor and answered: ‘It has been a good start, but avoiding relegation should still be the real focus.’
“I love both my old clubs, but using head and no heart, Chelsea are miles ahead. The frontline of Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer is worth north of £350m. By comparison, Everton’s strike force consists of Thierno Barry, valued at just 10% of that figure. Evertonians should beware: due to underinvestment, dark clouds are gathering.”
