Everton are offered a lifeline with two US buyers considering buying the club… as deal with controversial US company 777 faces collapse

• Attempts by investment company 777 to buy the club have all but failed
• Two Merseyside businessmen reportedly ready to take stake in club
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Two potential American buyers are considering buying Everton, following the virtual collapse of attempts by Miami investment firm 777 to buy the club.

One interested party is said to be investment firm MSP Sports Capital, which lent the club money to finance the new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium and considered investing in Everton last year, before the negotiations do not end without an agreement.

MSP, led by former agent and baseball franchise owner Jeff Moorad, includes stakes in the McLaren Formula One team and European football clubs Brondby in Denmark, Augsburg in Germany and Estoril in Portugal.

Two Merseyside businessmen, Andy Bell and George Downing, are also said to be ready to take a stake in the club by forgoing millions owed to them in loans.

But Everton still faces the prospect of ending up in administration – with a nine-point deduction – because buying the club from administrators would mean their considerable debts would be settled by insolvency experts and the deal subsequently agreed would be financially more attractive.

Everton’s senior financial analyst, The Esk, said: “From a commercial point of view, any new owners buying the club out of administration would reduce the money they spend on the club and take on less debt.”

Administration is unlikely to come this season as the club has the cash to see things through until the end of the campaign, a week on Sunday.

Remarkably, the club could actually survive another nine-point penalty this season – on top of the six points reserved for overspending – if they beat Sheffield United on Saturday and Luton fail to win at West Ham.

Everton have appealed the second of their points deductions – awarding them two extra points – and will know before kick-off in their final game of the season at Arsenal whether they have won or lost that case. If they go into administration this summer, they will start next season with -9 points.