David Moyes, the manager of Everton, has stated he has never met or spoken with the club's owner, Dan Friedkin. Friedkin, who heads The Friedkin Group, completed his takeover of the club in December 2024 and is based in Houston, but has not attended a home game since the acquisition.
Moyes, speaking ahead of Everton's match against Manchester United on Sunday, confirmed his commitment to the club despite a turbulent summer transfer window. When asked about any communication with Friedkin since his reappointment in January 2025, Moyes responded simply, "No."
The day-to-day operations of the club are managed by Friedkin's son-in-law, Rishi Majithia, in conjunction with chief executive Angus Kinnear. "My real contact is Angus," Moyes explained. "Angus is the one who I would go to see. Rishi is the next one and then the head of the Friedkin family in America. I don't really get any direct conversations with them, but I do through Rishi, he is the one I would speak to."
The club faced significant fan backlash during the recent transfer window. Supporters expressed anger after news broke that Everton had accepted a £40 million bid from Nottingham Forest for England Under-19s midfielder Harrison Armstrong. Although Everton ultimately withdrew from the deal, fan frustration persisted over decisions made by the board.
Further complicating matters, striker Beto was sold to Fiorentina on deadline day before a replacement was secured. The potential transfer of USA forward Folarin Balogun from Monaco to Everton collapsed at the last minute. The club concluded the transfer window with a squad of only 18 senior players, notably with just one recognized striker, one right-back, and one left-back.
Moyes previously aligned with fan sentiment regarding the potential sale of Armstrong, commenting that the club was "managed by an Evertonian" and that "supporters aren't always wrong." On Friday, he acknowledged the need for improvement in the club's internal structure, stating, "We've got new owners in who are still feeling their way in the club. I think if we get to know each other more it will get better."
Despite the challenges, Moyes expressed his dedication to unifying the club, which he previously led to multiple top-five finishes in the Premier League between 2002 and 2013. "Everton's different," Moyes said when asked about considering resignation. "I wouldn't have come back for anybody but Everton. I think the club here has had enough days where the people find a way of recovering. People saw the face of Evertonians last week and it can be really powerful. I would expect them to be really powerful now. But powerful for the team, powerful for the players. What we're going to need from them is extra because we're short, so we need them. If they're not with us, then it's terrible. And they are with us, I believe they are with us."