Businessman Vatche Manoukian intends to buy Everton F.C.

YEREVAN, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS. A consortium led by the ­London-based businessman Vatche ­Manoukian has reportedly entered the running to buy Everton Football Club after the collapse of 777 Partners’ proposed takeover, the Guardian reports.

Manoukian, a partner at the tech investment firm IMS ­Digital Ventures, has made a £400m bid to buy the clubalongside investors from theUS and the Gulf, according totheAthletic.

The interest from multiple parties comes after the period of exclusivity between the club’s owner, Farhad Moshiri, and 777 Partners, a US investment group, expired on 1June, with Evertonsubsequently declaring they would “assess all options for future ownership,” the Guardian continues.

Others to have emerged as prospective owners include the Everton supporters Andy Bell and George Downing, who previously lent the club £158m in partnership with MSPSports Capital, which is also reported to have launched a ­separate bid. John Textor has publicly declared a desire to sell his 45% stakein ­CrystalPalace to open up the possibility of investing in Everton, while the Roma owner, Dan ­Friedkin, has also been linked with buying theclub.

According to the IMS Digital Ventures website, Manoukian began his career in the UK as a lawyer “before moving to the US to help a private family office build, develop and operate one of the largest and most successful gaming and entertainment companies in the world”.

The attempt by 777 Partners to take control of Everton was beset by problems after it agreed a deal with Moshiri in September, with the firm struggling to meet the Premier League’s conditions to complete atakeover.