David Moyes has revealed he has never met or spoken to Everton owner Dan Friedkin at any point since returning as manager in January 2025, a disclosure that comes amid growing scrutiny of the club's ownership following a chaotic end to the transfer window.
Friedkin, who heads The Friedkin Group and runs Everton from its base in Houston, has not attended a single home match since completing his takeover of the club in December 2024. Speaking to reporters ahead of Everton's fixture against Manchester United, Moyes confirmed directly that he had never had a conversation with the owner, explaining that his real point of contact at the club is chief executive Angus Kinnear. Moyes said he doesn't get direct conversations with ownership but does communicate through Majithia.
The admission lands at a sensitive time for the club, with the structure and decision-making at the top of Everton having come under heavy scrutiny throughout a turbulent summer window. Everton also saw Dilly Dhingra leave for Manchester City and Tim Iroegbunam move to Hull City, saw a proposed £40 million move for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun collapse on deadline day after he failed a medical, having already arrived at the club's training ground. The saga surrounding Harrison Armstrong's proposed departure to Nottingham Forest, which was later called off, added further frustration for supporters, as did the sale of Iliman Ndiaye to Manchester City for £65 million. On a more positive note, Everton did manage to bring winger Jack Grealish back on loan from City before the window closed.
Despite the disarray, Moyes struck a defiant tone, insisting the disappointing end to the window could still help galvanise both players and supporters toward what he described as achieving "something special" this season. He acknowledged that any well-run club needs alignment from top to bottom, adding that the club's new owners are still finding their way and that relations should improve as familiarity builds between the various parties. He also dismissed reports linking Chelsea with a move for midfielder James Garner as "completely untrue," and said he had held no talks over reported plans for fresh investment from Friedkin following Everton's failed pursuit of a new striker.
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