Dan Friedkin accused of ‘abandoning’ club after major decision amid Everton takeover interest

Dan Friedkin has reportedly revived interest in an Everton takeover.

Dan Friedkin, who has reportedly revived interest in an Everton takeover, has met backlash from fans of AS Roma over a controversial decision.

The American, throughout his company Friedkin Group, have been at the helm of the Italian outfit since August 2020. In that time, they have helped improve the financial situation at the Stadio Olimpico significantly, while the Europa Conference League was won in 2021 – the club’s maiden European trophy.

Midway through last term, Friedkin made the bold decision to axe Jose Mourinho, who was the mastermind of their Conference League triumph. Roma legend Daniele de Rossi was handed the reins on a temporary basis and he guided I Giallorossi to sixth spot in Serie A and the Europa League semi-finals.

De Rossi was handed the job permanently in June as he penned a three-year deal. Yet just four games into the new campaign, having picked up three draws and a defeat, De Rossi was yesterday axed from his position. Hours later, he was replaced by Ivan Juric until the end of the season.

The path that Friedkin and Roma have taken is a bold and ruthless one. But it is one that has not gone down too well in the Italian capital. Rome-based newspaper La Republica has accused Friedkin of backing CEO Linda Souloukou, who had rising tensions with De Rossi. The newspaper said: “The American owner Dan Friedkin has abandoned the house of Parioli and deludes himself into managing a company where the one who really commands today is a Greek manager who for years administered Olympiacos for the controversial shipowner Evangelos Marinakis.”

Meanwhile, the front page of Il Tempo suggests that Roma fans are ‘furious with Friedkin’ over the decision to part way with De Rossi, who made 616 appearances during his playing career. In addition, Corriere Della Sella states that Frieidkin has ‘cut once and for all the umbilical cord between Roma fans and the history of their team’.

The Friedkin Group pulled the plug on purchasing Everton in July after being given exclusivity rights. The firm are owned £200 million in loans, however, after taking on debt from MSP Sports Capital and local businessmen Andy Belly and George Downing and providing the Blues with cash flow.

Bloomberg reported earlier this week that billionaire Friedkin has re-entered talks with Everton majority owner Farhad Moshiri over a possible takeover. John Textor, the co-owner of Crystal Palace, has been given exclusivity to explore a deal until 30 November. He first has to sell his 45 per cent share in Palace because of Premier League rules.

Everton have insisted that ‘there remains some work to be done’ for Textor to complete his transaction.

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