According to The Guardian, the revelation of “previously unreported financial records” has sparked additional concerns about Everton owner Farhad Moshiri’s fortune and connections to Alisher Usmanov.
On September 26, the newspaper stated on its website that the Toffees’ current owner received nearly £400 million from the billionaire before he was sanctioned, including £270 million for selling shares in Usmanov’s company USM, which he appears to have received as a “gift.”
According to The Guardian, with a deal signed between Moshiri and 777 Partners to sell his whole ownership in the club, the papers “appear to misalign with Moshiri’s previous statements about how he could continue to fund the Premier League club himself, as well as his promise to provide financial support.”
Everton’s auditors signed approved on its 2022 finances this year because of the club’s continued financial support.” A representative for Usmanov indicated that the revenues of the takeover may be used to repay him, adding, “Mr Moshiri and his companies are indeed indebted to Mr Usmanov and entities affiliated with him.” We hope that the debt will be reimbursed after Mr. Moshiri completes the sale of the Everton club, which is presently being widely publicized.”
Usmanov has “always insisted” that he has no direct or indirect ownership of Everton and that Moshiri “made all the decisions,” while the Russian has “consistently stated” that he has followed all Premier League rules and committed no laws.
If Moshiri has been in charge at Goodison Park since 2018, and still doubts about his financial arrangements continue to be raised, it suggests that whatever the truth is will most likely be revealed only at a high level of authority.
It was unfortunate for Everton to be associated with such doubts while the current owner was putting money into the club, but now that it looks he is no longer prepared to do so, the sooner a sale is completed, the better.
There don’t appear to be many alternatives to 777 at this point, so any reservations about the Miami-based firm’s suitability must be dispelled for the sake of the Toffees.
In other Everton news, a former captain thinks that a young first-team ace is now untouchable for Sean Dyche.
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