John Textor is stepping up his bid for a proposed Everton takeover.
Textor has reopened talks with the club’s majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri over his 94.1% stake after The Friedkin Group’s withdrawal last month.
That interest led to him becoming the third potential suitor in the last 12 months, after the Friedkins and 777 Partners, to be granted exclusivity.
He is set to accelerate a move for the Blues by holding fresh discussions with Moshiri, which The Guardian claim could see a deal struck as early as this week.
But the 58-year-old’s existing shareholding in Crystal Palace is set to delay any change of ownership at Goodison Park due to Premier League rules.
Textor has been actively looking to sell his 45% stake in the Londoners but to little avail, which could see his Everton takeover drag on for several months.
Josh Harris and David Blitzer are understood to have seen a £100 million proposal that would take their combined influence at Palace to 81% rejected.
Earlier this month Textor confirmed that that his Eagle Football Group was ‘looking’ at a potential involvement on the blue half of Merseyside again.