Textor Predicts 90% Chance of Everton Takeover

John Textor, chairman of Eagle Football, which includes Lyon, expressed strong confidence about acquiring English club Everton during a press conference at Lyon's training center on Wednesday. Textor stated, "There's a 90 percent chance of this happening, but the current owner also has other choices."

In August, it was reported that Everton's owner, Farhad Moshiri, had given Textor a period of exclusivity to evaluate a potential takeover. Textor indicated that the purchase of the Premier League club would be completed "in my own name" with personal funds. "It would come from my own financing. I will be the buyer, not Eagle," Textor clarified.

Eagle Football also owns Botafogo, the current leaders of the Brazilian league, and Molenbeek, which was relegated to the Belgian second division last season. The group holds a 46 percent stake in Crystal Palace, a Premier League rival of Everton. Textor initially acquired these stakes individually before consolidating them under Eagle Football in November 2022, with the company taking control of Lyon the following month.

According to Premier League regulations, Textor must divest his stake in Crystal Palace before proceeding with the acquisition of Everton. Textor noted that the proceeds from the sale will be used by Eagle Football to reduce its debt, with some funds allocated "to develop our academies around the world and recruit talent."

Textor assured that the potential acquisition would not impact Lyon's operations, adding, "There will be no impact on Lyon, but it could be a good partnership all the same. It will be debt-free."