Crystal Palace owner steps closer to Everton purchase

John Textor, the co-owner of Crystal Palace FC, has been granted a period of exclusivity by Everton FC as he eyes a majority stake in the club.

According to the BBC Sport,discussions have taken place around the feasibility of an agreement between Textor and Everton incumbent owner Farhad Moshiri, but a deal is not close.

US businessman Textor is now the favourite to take over Everton following a difficult summer for the Premier League club. Talks with both 777 Partners and the Friedkin Group broke down this summer as Moshiri seeks a buyer ahead of the Toffees’ final season at the iconic Goodison Park.

Any deal is dependent on Textor selling his 45% stake in Crystal Palace, as Premier League rules prohibit individuals from owning more than one team.

Textor paid £87.5m for a 40% stake in Palace in 2021 before extending it to about 45% when he bought French club Lyon a year later.

British-Iranian businessman Moshiri first invested in Everton in 2016 when the 69-year-old acquired a 49.9% share in the Toffees, before increasing this to 94.1% in 2022.