Can Everton afford their new stadium? It's a question that has been repeatedly asked ever since the stadium on Bramley Moore Dock was announced in 2018. The doubts around Everton's finances have proven to be reasonable ones as the club have been hit by two separate points deductions this season in relation to their financial mismanagement.
In a new twist, it is now emerging that the club might not be able to complete the final stages of their brand-new state-of-the-art stadium due to cash flow problems. In a new statement released by the club, they have admitted that current owner Farhad Moshiri is struggling to find the funds to complete the final stage of the project:
“The club is continuing negotiations to secure the next stage of funding for the Bramley-Moore Dock development. Various options are being explored, however, the club has yet to secure legally binding facilities as of the date of approval of the financial statements and this facility is not yet guaranteed.
“The board are confident that funding will be secured or refinanced, However, the directors acknowledge these uncertainties may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.”
Can Everton afford their new stadium? The need for new ownership
The issue of affordability for their new home would very quickly become a non-issue if Moshiri sold the club. In his defence, he has accepted a bid from 777 Capital Partners for the acquisition of the club but the group are still waiting to get the green light from the Premier League as doubts continue to rear their head around their legitimacy.
To put it bluntly, 777 Partners taking over Everton would not only be a disaster for our beloved club, but being approved would be one of the most heinous acts the Premier League could do. They're clearly not fit to run our club and do not have any finances to do it! #noto777
— Toffee Tower ⚽️💙🛖 (@toffee_tower) April 12, 2024
Since accepting the bid, Moshiri has stopped funding Everton altogether which means they are now largely being propped up by loans. If the deal isn't ratified by the Premier League then there is a very real chance that work on the stadium would have to pause, which could be a huge blow to fans who are expecting the stadium to be ready in time for the 2025/26 season.
The current Everton Stadium Development Limited has debts stand at £539.1m — up from £283.1m – and that figure is only going to continue rising while the Premier League deliberate on the 777 offer.