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US investment firm MSP Sports Capital is exploring a takeover of Everton FC as the current bid for the Premier League football club falters, according to a person familiar with the matter.

MSP, which has lent money to fund the Liverpool-based club’s new stadium, is looking at its options, given the existing offer by rival firm 777 Partners is now under threat, the person said, asking not to be identified discussing confidential information.

Representatives for MSP and 777 declined to comment, as did a spokesman for Farhad Moshiri, Everton’s majority shareholder.

Everton has held talks with restructuring advisers after 777 struggled to complete its takeover from Moshiri, Bloomberg reported last week. The Miami-based investor agreed to buy the football club last September, but talks have dragged on, and the firm recently asked for more time.

While awaiting Premier League approval for its bid, 777 has lent Everton around $200 million. Josh Wander, co-founder of 777, and some of his colleagues have been frequent attendees at Everton’s matches.

777’s long-standing pursuit of Everton has hinged on repaying a £158 million ($198 million) loan to a group of investors led by MSP. The loan was due to be paid on April 15, but 777 gained a last-minute extension.

New York-based MSP considered investing in Everton last year, but talks collapsed without a deal. Its other investments include a stake in the McLaren Formula One team, and European football clubs such as Brondby in Denmark, Augsburg of Germany and Estoril in Portugal.

The firm is headed by Jeff Moorad, a former sports agent who was previously a part-owner and chief executive officer of both the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres baseball teams. Moorad founded MSP in 2019 with chairman Jahm Najafi, who is vice-chairman of the Phoenix Suns and has a stake in the basketball team separately.

Read More: Everton FC Buyer Accused of Fraud, Double-Pledging Assets

Last week, lenders to 777 accused it of fraud, claiming that the firm borrowed against $350 million of assets that it didn’t own, that didn’t exist or were already promised to someone else. Leadenhall Capital Partners LLP and Leadenhall Life Insurance Linked Investments Fund Plc filed a complaint in a New York federal court, alleging that Wander double-pledged assets backing loans to the firm in a breach of agreements. 777 hasn’t commented on the allegations.

GDA Luma Capital, a private equity firm specializing in distressed debt, has held talks about offering financing to 777 to enable it to continue funding the construction of Everton’s new stadium and meet ongoing capital requirements, Bloomberg also reported last week.

Multiclub model

777, whose business activities include insurance and aviation, began investing in football teams in the aftermath of Covid. It has followed the so-called multiclub model deployed by a number of groups, including Manchester City’s parent company City Football Group, Eagle Football and Red Bull.

Its stable of teams range from Genoa in Italy’s Serie A to Vasco da Gama in Brazil. The teams’ performances have been mixed, with Red Star Paris winning promotion this season to France’s second tier and its Belgian team Standard Liege having one of its worst seasons ever.

Some of 777’s clubs have faced financial issues, and earlier this week Standard Liege was hit with a transfer ban.

Everton would have been 777’s highest revenue-generating asset, as broadcast income in the Premier League is the highest in Europe.

Everton recently cemented its place in next season’s Premier League after flirting with relegation — again — from the lucrative division. The club was docked eight points for financial breaches but has still done well enough to finish above the bottom three. Premier League football comes with minimum annual broadcast fees of £100 million.

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(Adds more detail on MSP and 777.)

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