Everton, the competitor in the English Premier League, announced on Friday that the Friedkin Group, which owns it, intends to sell a controlling stake in the club, as part of its efforts to attract new investments and support the next stage of the club’s journey.
The announcement comes less than two years after the US-based group took over Everton from previous owner Farhad Moshiri in December 2024, when it took over a club that was suffering from financial pressures and a long period of instability on and off the field.
Since completing the deal, the Friedkin Group has supervised the team's move to Hill Dickinson Stadium, and has also worked to improve its financial conditions and enhance its institutional stability.
The group said in a statement: “When the Friedkin Group took over Everton, the club was facing a great deal of financial uncertainty and complex challenges on and off the field.”
She added that her priority at that stage was to provide the stability, investment and support necessary to ensure the club’s future, including completing the new stadium project.
She continued: “With these foundations firmly established, it is time to look to the next chapter in Everton’s journey.”
The group confirmed that it will only consider offers submitted by parties that it believes are capable of building on the progress achieved since its acquisition of the club, indicating that it will continue to support Everton on and off the field throughout the sale process.
This trend comes after a summer transfer period that sparked criticism from some fans, according to British media reports, after the club achieved significant revenues from selling a number of players, while it was content to include a limited number of deals before the transfer market closed.
The Friedkin Group, which also owns the Italian club Roma and French club Cannes, explained that it had hired the investment bank (Moelis & Company) to provide advice on the process of selling the controlling stake.
The group and the club added that they would not make any additional comments until the ongoing procedures are completed.
Jose Mourinho, coach of the Spanish football team Real Madrid, revealed the only club where he did not feel any real human connection throughout his coaching career.
The controversial Portuguese coach admitted that his period with English club Tottenham Hotspur was completely different from any other station in his career.
In a lengthy interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, reported by the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Mourinho stated that he still maintains good relations with most of his former clubs, including Benfica and Porto of Portugal, Chelsea and Manchester United of England, Inter Milan and Roma of Italy, and Fenerbahce of Turkey, noting that Tottenham represents the only exception.
It is noteworthy that Mourinho took over as coach of Tottenham between November 2019 and April 2021, before moving to the Italian League to coach Roma.
Mourinho explained that the Corona virus pandemic had the greatest impact on shaping his experience in the British capital, London. The fans were absent for long periods, and he did not have the opportunity to build a direct bond with the fans.
Mourinho spoke about his period with Tottenham, saying: “That period coincided with the Corona pandemic. There was no human contact, as the stadium was almost empty most of the time. We played two or three matches in the presence of fans, then we played the rest of the matches without fans and without any interaction. "I didn't feel that connection with Tottenham."
The veteran coach (62 years old) also revealed the details of the news that linked him to coaching Real Madrid after his time with Benfica, stressing that the sequence of events went in reverse.
Mourinho revealed: “Usually things start with making contacts, then conversations and rumors appear based on those contacts, but in this case the exact opposite happened. “The conversations and rumors started before any contacts were made.”
He added: “I was surprised by it.” No one spoke to me, and I said to myself: (This is not true). "I never thought it could be real."
Veteran LeBron James gave a strong performance in the first half during his first preparatory match with his new team, the Philadelphia 76ers, in its new look, but he failed to avoid his team’s loss to the New York Nets 108-114 in Brooklyn.
James, the league's all-time leading scorer, announced last July that he had signed a two-year contract worth $8 million with the 76ers, putting an end to weeks of speculation about his destination as a free agent, after eight seasons and one title with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 41-year-old “King” is playing his twenty-fourth season in the league, which is a new record, after previously winning two titles with Miami, a title with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and a fourth title with the Lakers.
LeBron aspires to help the 76ers win their first title since Julius Erving led them to the crown 43 years ago.
Thursday's match was an opportunity for James to play alongside his new teammates, Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecomb, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown, who recently joined from the Boston Celtics.
James scored 10 points; He made his only shot from open play and scored all eight of his free throw attempts. He also added four rebounds, five assists and a steal during 18 minutes in the first half.
Brown topped the scoring list with 18 points, while Randle scored 14 points for the Nets, who outscored the 76ers 37-23 in the third quarter to take control of the match. But all eyes were on James, starting with his famous move of scattering chalk powder before kickoff while wearing a 76ers jersey.
James led his new team's attack smoothly during his time on the field, providing all five of his assists in the first quarter, and showing effective chemistry with Maxi.
“I think there were very good things that happened, you know, right from the beginning,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said after seeing his key players play together for the first time.
He added: “The performance witnessed good movements behind the defenders, perfect passes, etc., but there were periods in which we lost the ball a lot... The performance was also marred by some moments that were characterized by confusion and lack of smoothness. However, we must not forget that this is the pre-season, and it is the first time that the team plays with its current squad together.”
He continued: “I think we have to look at the matter from the perspective of the positives and lessons learned, and identify the aspects in which we can improve.”
The 76ers have two matches remaining in the pre-season, both against the Boston Celtics, before playing the opening match of the regular season in the league against the New York Knicks, the defending champion, in Madison Square Garden on October 20.
Since joining the team, James has found himself facing the “noise” and external comments surrounding his new team.
James resorted to Instagram to refute a report issued by the match commentator during the team’s first match in the preparation period on Monday. The report claimed that he reprimanded his teammate Embiid for being late for training. “He was never late,” he wrote. So stop lying.”
James had acknowledged, during the team's media day last month, that such external hype surrounding the 76ers would double, triple, and quadruple "now that I'm here."
