777 Partners Everton funding hits £150m as takeover decision expected imminently

Prospective Everton owners 777 Partners have provided a further £50m in funding to the club as the finish line for their takeover of appears to be in sight.

Sky Sports reported on Sunday evening that the amount of money that had been loaned to Everton to help the club for working capital, to cover costs such as the continued construction of the new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock, as well as payroll obligations, now stood at £150m. It is a figure that 777 sources have since confirmed to the ECHO.

The American investment firm, who are currently awaiting regulatory approval from the Premier League and the Football Association as to formally acquire Farhad Moshiri’s 94.1% shareholding and take control of the club, had committed more than £80m by early December.

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The ECHO was told in November that funding would likely top £100m by the time the process was completed and that there was a commitment to funding through to the end of January.

A further financial commitment has now been made to take additional funding up to £150m, with Moshiri having been unwilling to continue to bankroll the football club following the agreement of a sale.

While one significant hurdle has been cleared already for 777 Partners after they received the green light from the Financial Conduct Authority, the Premier League’s owner’s and directors test has long been seen as the biggest challenge. 777 have come under scrutiny over their stewardship of other clubs under their ownership, namely Standard Liege, Genoa and Vasco da Gama.

One of the main sticking points for the Premier League, which