'So many headlines around 777 and none of them are particularly good'

BBC Radio Merseyside reporter Giulia Bould speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live about the latest in the takeover of Everton: "If you were to ask me now if the 777 deal is off, I couldn't say that it is completely off but it is looking like the most likely outcome right now.

"There are so many headlines around 777 and some of the more recent ones in the last 24 hours or so are Standard Liege – where they are the majority shareholders there – the players and the staff are unpaid currently. They have been told they will have to stay unpaid until the summer. It is claimed the bank accounts are empty and the former owner of Standard Liege is now taking legal action to take control back of the club as well.

"Vasco da Gama club in Brazil is another owned by 777 and they are also unhappy with the running of the club. So it does seem there are so many headlines around 777 and none of them are particularly good at all.

"There are also suggestions now that Farhad Moshiri is looking to move on from this deal. A lot of fans will say he should have moved on a lot sooner, but it does seem that is the case. Six or seven months ago it looked like 777 were the likely outcome, they even wrote in the matchday programme to fans in October how they wanted to get involved in the club and were looking forward to it. Right now, I can't see that happening."

On what happens next if the deal falls through: "That is the big question and the big concern for Everton fans.

"What I have to say is, while the club can't speak about it because it is business deals and there are confidentiality clauses, no one inside the club has sat there doing nothing.

"MSP is another consortium that has been around the club, they have already invested in Everton, you would imagine they are still very interested. They haven't gone away and there are others that I am led to believe are taking a look but aren't as far down the road as the MSP situation.

"The club do have some contingency plans in place but all this will take time as we know."