Everton owner Farhad Moshiri took a step closer to selling the club on Friday night as he prepared to grant exclusivity terms to Roma owner Dan Friedkin.
Any deal, subject to Premier League approval, would end months of speculation about the club’s future and comes only two weeks after a proposed takeover by Miami-based private investment firm 777 Partners collapsed.
Friedkin, 59, who is worth £4.9billion, is chairman of Texas-based Friedkin Group and has emerged as Moshiri's favoured choice amid extensive talks with four other parties.
It is understood Friedkin, whose film studio produced the Oscar nominated ‘Flowers Of The Killer Moon’, has presented an all-equity offer which appeals to Moshiri ahead of early frontrunners Andy Bell and George Downing, who have lent Everton £158million.