Michael Dell laughs off Everton takeover rumours with blunt six-word response as £183bn billionaire rules out buying club from The Friedkin Group
American tech mogul Michael Dell has publicly dismissed speculation suggesting he is preparing a bid to purchase Everton from current majority owners The Friedkin Group. Worth an estimated £183 billion, the world's fourth-richest man took to social media on Wednesday evening to shut down claims that his family wants to buy the Merseysiders.
Tech billionaire dismisses Merseyside links
Dell Technologies chief executive Michael has issued a blunt six-word rebuttal to rule out purchasing the Premier League club after weekend reports claimed he was plotting a buyout from current custodians. Speculation surrounding a change of ownership emerged earlier this month when The Friedkin Group indicated they are willing to offload their majority stake after less than two years in charge. However, the American businessman has no intention of stepping in.
Social media post quashes speculation
Uncertainty has surrounded Everton's boardroom amid growing discontent on Merseyside over the current regime's lack of spending. Supporters heavily criticised Dan Friedkin and his hierarchy over the summer after they failed to reinvest funds from several major player sales, leaving manager David Moyes with a threadbare squad while Friedkin - who has yet to attend an Everton match in person - faced accusations of prioritising sister club Roma.
Journalist Alan Nixon initially reported on Sunday that the Dell family were considering a takeover approach, although Goodison News subsequently highlighted the practical hurdles standing in the way of such a move.
The rumours resurfaced on X on Thursday when fan account EFC DAILY (@EFCdaily_) cited reporter Lewis Steele to write: "Michael Dell, the fourth-richest man in the world, is one of the players in the running to buy Everton." Replying directly to that post alongside a laughing emoji, Dell wrote: "Who comes up with these stories?"
Current owners seek serious buyers
Dell's refusal removes a heavyweight prospective buyer from the equation, with the American holding a 40 per cent stake in Dell Technologies and recently overtaking Google co-founder Sergey Brin on the Forbes list after his net worth rose 2.4 per cent to £182.67bn - ranking behind only Alphabet co-founder Larry Page, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla chief Elon Musk.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reported earlier on Wednesday that The Friedkin Group are actively sounding out "serious" investors as they look to avoid dragging Evertonians through another protracted ownership saga similar to the final stages of Farhad Moshiri's tenure.
While no concrete frontrunner has emerged yet, former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley remains a prominent figure touted for a return to English football ownership. Since Staveley and her husband, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, sold their stakes at St James' Park in 2024, she has lodged a bid for Tottenham Hotspur just under two years ago and was recently linked with purchasing the late David Gold's shares at West Ham United.
Search for new investors continues
With Dell firmly out of the running, The Friedkin Group will continue vetting credible candidates behind the scenes in hopes of securing a smooth transition at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Finding committed new custodians quickly will be crucial to appeasing a restless fanbase ahead of the January transfer window. In the meantime, Moyes must keep his squad focused on picking up results on the pitch.
