(Bloomberg) -- One of the first actions by the Friedkin Group after it completes its takeover of Premier League club Everton FC will be to sort out the club’s onerous balance sheet.
The Friedkin Group is in talks with JPMorgan Chase & Co. about raising debt to help restructure Everton’s current loans, which total over £660 million ($840 million), according to people familiar with the matter. This will potentially help reduce interest payments and stretch Everton’s debt over a more manageable timeframe.
Run by US billionaire Dan Friedkin, the Friedkin Group agreed to buy Everton FC in September and the deal is awaiting regulatory approval.
No agreement has been reached on the debt raise and the Friedkin Group may sign a deal with another bank to arrange the financing, the people said. JPMorgan and the Friedkin Group both declined to comment.
The acquisition is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks. Once completed, the Friedkin Group will look to simplify Everton’s complex capital structure.
It has already covered a £140 million debt to MSP Partners, and has loaned £110 million to cover the day-to-day running of the club, according to one of the people.
After the Friedkin Group assumes control, it will take on £150 million owed to lender Rights and Media Funding, and a further £200 million owed to 777 Partners, the person added. There is also debt linked to the ongoing construction of a new 52,888 seat stadium, which is close to completion, in the Bramley Docks area of Liverpool.
The Friedkin Group’s takeover of Everton is set to draw an end to eight years of ownership under Farhad Moshiri, a tenure marred by points deductions, escalating debt, failed takeover bids and spiraling costs over the new stadium.
Moshiri worked with JPMorgan as early as 2019 on a deal to finance the stadium, but that deal failed after Everton agreed a sale to the Miami-based 777 Partners. That takeover collapsed after questions were raised about 777’s business model.
JPMorgan has a longstanding relationship with the Friedkin Group and advised on the acquisition of Roma FC in 2020. Earlier this year the bank set up a dedicated sports investment team, following a similar move by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. last year.
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