The Everton takeover saga is finally at an end after the club announced it had been bought by the Friedkin Group.

More than a year after Farhad Moshiri first announced he was selling his 94.1 per cent stake and following the collapse of talks with several other potential suitors – most notoriously 777 Partners – the Premier League side confirmed they were now under new ownership.

Everton said they had been acquired by Roundhouse Capital Holdings Limited (Roundhouse), an entity within The Friedkin Group (TFG), following the necessary regulatory approvals from the Premier League, Women’s Professional Leagues Limited, the Football Association, and the Financial Conduct Authority.

Dan Friedkin, chairman and chief executive of TFG – which also owns Roma – said in a statement: “Dear Evertonians, following the completion of the takeover of Everton Football Club, I want to express my gratitude for your continued support and introduce the incoming executive chairman of Everton, Marc Watts. I take immense pride in welcoming one of England’s most historic football clubs to our global family, The Friedkin Group. Everton represents a proud legacy, and we are honoured to become custodians of this great institution.

“The Friedkin Group is a diverse family of companies with a global footprint spanning industries such as sports, automotive, entertainment, hospitality, and adventure. Across all our endeavours, we strive to deliver extraordinary experiences that ignite people’s passions. We are thrilled to bring this ethos to Everton and the Liverpool City Region.

“Whilst we are new to the club, we fully understand the vital role Everton plays in local culture, history, and the lives of Evertonians here and around the world. We are deeply committed to honouring this legacy while contributing positively to the community, economy, and people of this remarkable city. Once again, thank you for your continued support.”

Watts added in an open letter: “Dear Evertonians, we are proud to be the new custodians of your club. Together, we will usher Everton into a new era, one that is marked by ambition and professionalism. As stewards of Everton, we look forward to showing our commitment to the club through actions, not words.

“We believe there are exceptional people working in the club. The resilience and commitment shown to get through a challenging period in Everton’s history has been inspiring to see and provides a great foundation for us to build on. The Friedkin Group will take a focused approach, one that is driven by innovation and business experience.

“Our long-term vision is to harness the passion of fans and great qualities of the club to realise Everton’s full potential. Our goals are clear: Strengthening the men’s first-team squad through thoughtful and strategic investment. Cultivating home-grown superstars through Everton’s Academy. Fostering a distinct on-pitch and commercial strategy for the women’s team. Respecting the Club’s traditions and keeping Everton at the heart of the community. Maximising the potential of the new stadium through long-term commercial partnerships and events that benefit the city of Liverpool. Enhancing Everton’s reputation as a unique and historical name in world football.

“In the short term, we understand the club has faced significant challenges on and off-the-pitch for several years. That’s why our immediate priority is stabilising the club and improving results on the pitch. We have provided an injection of capital to ensure the completion of the new stadium. The transaction has seen most of Everton’s debt either converted to equity, repaid or refinanced on terms more favourable to the stability of the club.

“Whilst there is much work to be done, and PSR [Profit and Sustainability Rules] remains a limiting factor in the short term, the underlying financial position is now much stronger. On the pitch, we have a lot still to fight for this season and our energies are now focused on maximising the remaining time to drive results. We’re pleased that Colin Chong has agreed to remain in his interim position while we finalise the appointment of a new permanent CEO, which we will update you on in due course. We want to thank Colin, the leadership team and everyone at Everton for their hard work and support.

“We also want to thank Farhad Moshiri for his cooperation during the transition and facilitating a new start for Everton. The road ahead of us is long and there will be further challenges to come, but we are committed to living by Everton’s motto: nil satis nisi optimum.”

Moshiri said: “I truly believe that the transaction with The Friedkin Group is the best outcome for the club and its future success.”

Thanking his board colleagues, senior management and head coach Sean Dyche “for their huge commitment to the club”, he added: “Despite a challenging geopolitical backdrop, a significant amount has been achieved over the last couple of years including the delivery of a new sporting department, the stabilisation of our finances and the delivery of our iconic new stadium. I now hand over to new owners confident in the outlook for the club and that our incredible fans will see the success on the pitch that they so thoroughly deserve.”

Everton confirmed the deal had involved increasing the club’s share capital to convert outstanding debt owed to Moshiri’s Blue Heaven Holdings into equity, thereby facilitating additional equity investment from Roundhouse.

That followed last month’s change to Premier League financial rules governing interest on shareholder loans.

The Premier League said: “The Premier League Board has approved The Friedkin Group’s 98.8 per cent acquisition of Everton Football Club, following the completion of the league’s owners’ and directors’ test.

“Having been agreed by the board, the takeover has now been ratified by an Independent Oversight Panel.

“The club’s new owners and directors have also signed the Premier League’s Owners’ Charter.”