Everton up for sale: David Moyes sends message to fans after “surprise” ownership decision

Everton manager David Moyes has admitted his surprise at the club being put up for sale by owners The Friedkin Group.

It was announced on Friday morning that The Friedkin Group are exploring new investment options for the club, including “the potential sale of a controlling interest”.

The decision comes less than two years after the American group, led by billionaire Dan Friedkin, completed their full takeover of the Toffees from Farhad Moshiri in a deal worth in excess of £400m.

Speaking at a press conference a few hours after the news was released, Moyes acknowledged that he first felt signs of the owners not being fully committed during the summer transfer window.

"Yeah I was surprised, they'd only came in a year and a half ago," Moyes told reporters. "Most owners come in for a lot longer than that. We were all expecting them to be here for 20 to 30 years, however long it may be.

"But maybe the way things worked out over the transfer window, I probably had seen through it a little bit before that. It's probably all there for Evertonians to see now.

Moyes: “A little bit surprised, but maybe not really that surprised"

"I truly believed that with new ownership who were in for it completely with us all, my ambition coming back was to get Everton back to the levels they'd been at in the past - challenging for Europe more often, being around it.

"And probably you could tell with how I've been a lot over the summer that that's the way it's been. It's been a difficult summer for us.

"I only found out this morning myself along with everybody else. I'm a little bit surprised, but maybe not really that surprised."

Moyes does not feel let down by The Friedkin Group, but he has sympathised with the club’s supporters who have endured “difficult periods”.

In a turbulent three-year saga, former majority owner Moshiri failed to finalise deals with 777 Partners and John Textor as both takeover bids fell through, while The Friedkin Group also saw early negotiations collapse before eventually striking an agreement in December 2024.

Moyes “disappointed” for Everton fans as further uncertainty lies ahead

“No (I don't feel let down) because I love this club too much and they could have sold it (the job) to me at any time and I still would have taken it,” the Scotsman added.

“It's for Evertonians that I'm more disappointed because they've been through so many difficult periods. The last thing they really wanted to hear was this.

"We went through a season (last year) without too much drama, apart from the money we had to pay for Burnley, but we were challenging at the right end of the league.

“So I'm more disappointed for Evertonians that they have to go through another period of 'who are going to be the new owners'."

Moyes continued: “It’s a great club and if there’s anyone out there who wants to buy it, and if they want to speak me, I’ll be the first one to talk to them and let them know it’s worth buying.”

Everton, allegedly valued by The Friedkin Group at around £800m, missed out on European qualification last season and have since made an unbeaten start to the new Premier League season, winning two and drawing three of their first five games.

Sitting seventh in the table and level on points with Brentford in fourth, the Toffees travel to Hull City for their next top-flight fixture on Sunday.