Fit and proper? Prospective Everton owner John Textor in Trump-like blunder

Robin Bairner

• 12 Sept 2024 09:30 BST
• 4 min read

John Textor announced that he is ready to make an offer to takeover Premier League side Everton on Wednesday, claiming the opportunity is like becoming President of the USA.

Hours later, however, he made a bumbling appearance at a press conference with one of his other clubs, Lyon, during which he made a number of miscalculations.

It was a performance worthy of Donald Trump, who had earlier that same day gone viral for suggesting that immigrants are eating the pets of US citizens during a debate with Kamala Harris.

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Defending Lyon’s transfer spending this summer, he endured a confused press conference.

“I think, if I do the math on that, we bought €145 million of players, we sold only €40m. I guess that means we have a deficit of €95m net purchase number. Our original plan was to have an €80m net purchase number,” he said.

“It’s not a huge change for budget. Instead of being net negative €110m… we’re negative, €95m? Yeah?

“Our plan was negative €80m, but we ended up negative €95m. No… that’s what I wrote down but I think that’s a mistake. Anyway… sorry.

“We bought €145m in this window and we sold €40m, right? There’s your negative outflow of… actually that’s €105m. You get the point! We’re talking about a €20m swing, we’re not talking about €100m swing.”

Lyon had planned on sell Ernest Nuamah to Fulham on Deadline Day for around €30m only for that deal to breakdown with the forward unwilling to sign for the Premier League club, exiting negotiations in tears. Ironically, Nuamah was also offered to Everton late in the window.

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'Chance to buy Everton like becoming US president - Textor

Previously, Textor had said buying Everton was like being asked to become President of the USA.

In an interview with Sky Sports, he said: “Nobody wakes up and thinks: ‘I get to buy Everton,’” added Textor. “But if you decide football is what you want in your life and then somebody comes along and asks you if you want to become the owner of Everton, it’s like someone asking you if you want to be president of the United States. Of course you do.”

Textor, meanwhile, is a minority investor in Crystal Palace currently, and if he is to take charge at Everton before Mohsni’s 30 November deadline, he will have to have sold those shares by that point.