Alan Brazil reveals he’s heard ex-Premier League owner with $14b net worth wants to invest in Everton

Alisher Usmanov is potentially interested in resuming his investment at Everton, according to Alan Brazil. Less than two years after their takeover at the Toffees, the Friedkin Group are considering a sale of their controlling stake . They bought 99.5 per cent of the Premier League club in December 2024 in a deal worth more than £400million. It brought an end to the unsettled tenure of Farhad Moshiri, during which Everton came close to being relegated from the top flight. Russian-Uzbek businessman Usmanov, who has a $14billion (£10.5b) net worth as per Forbes, worked with Moshiri and the pair once owned a 14.58 per cent stake in Arsenal . The former then completed a $15m (£11m) deal for the naming rights at Everton’s Finch Farm training ground via USM Holdings in 2017, and later sponsored the women’s team with MegaFon as their co-owner. But after Russia invaded Ukraine in March 2022, Everton suspended their sponsorships with USM and Megafon, both Russian companies. Usmanov was also sanctioned by the United Kingdom Government, similar to the former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. However, talkSPORT Breakfast host Brazil explained on Friday’s show that he has heard whispers of the 73-year-old returning to Everton. “I can’t confirm it, but I hear that Usmanov is trying to get back into Everton,” he said. “He has got some serious, serious money… “Mr Usmanov, who was behind Moshiri, it appears that he’s trying to get back in, if he can, to plough a load of dough into Everton.” Could Usmanov reinvest in Everton? As part of the UK Government’s sanctions, Usmanov was issued with a travel ban and had his assets frozen. He and Igor Shuvalov, who fronted Russia’s successful bid to host the 2018 World Cup, were adjudged to be associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Usmanov and Shuvalov were removed from the European Union’s sanctions list last month. However, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham was opposed to the decision, according to Bloomberg. Burnham was speaking to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and also said that the UK will not lift their sanctions . Therefore, as it stands, Usmanov is unlikely to be allowed to invest in Everton amid a potential change to the structure of their ownership. Usmanov is the 213th richest person in the world according to Forbes. His global conglomerate, USM, owns 100 per cent of Metalloinvest, a Russian mining company whose reported revenue is worth around $5.2b (£3.9b) , as per 311 Institute.