Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness is insistent that Dan Friedkin’s takeover agreement won’t yet alleviate any relegation worries.
The 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – spoke on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast and claimed that points on the board are the only thing that matters until the buyout is fully complete.
Football Insider had reported on 25 September that Friedkin could receive Premier League approval within the next sic weeks to complete his takeover of Everton, which would put him in charge before the January window opens.
Everton won their first Premier League game against Crystal Palace last week, which has lifted the Merseysiders up to 16th place, above winless Leicester, Ipswich, Southampton and Wolves.
“No one is calming down” about Everton relegation despite takeover, says Wyness, who also told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I’d like to say the takeover has helped things, but I don’t think it does.
“What has helped is getting the three points against Palace and not having the noise about being in the bottom three.
“Because if you’re in the bottom three, you know the stories will be coming until the next week.
“For us to get out of the relegation zone, and for people to have other targets to look at – like Man United – that’s what makes the difference.
“It will take until the deal is completely done and the new people to arrive for there to be real stability and for them to answer all the burning questions.
“No one will be calming down. It was a good week for Everton, but it’s points on the board that makes the real difference.”