Everton are not for sale despite protests from supporters over their management of the club, owner Farhad Moshiri has claimed.
Disgruntled supporters have called on Moshiri and the board to quit in recent weeks with the 19th Premier League club.
The Merseysiders have won just one of their last 14 games and sacked manager Frank Lampard on Monday.
Moshiri says he “feels the pain” of the fans and will do “whatever it takes” to win back their support.
A consortium led by former Manchester United and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon held talks on a deal to buy Everton last summer.
The club chose not to pursue these talks after a period of exclusivity ended in July, with Moshiri saying he wasn’t for sale in an open letter to fans.
However, the Guardian reported on Tuesday that Moshiri has now made Everton available for £500million and is also reportedly considering selling a minority or majority stake, with a number of parties expressing interest.
In an interview with Everton’s Fans’ Advisory Council, recorded ahead of Saturday’s defeat at West Ham United and the sacking of Lampard, Moshiri said he was only looking to bring in extra funds to help finance the new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium in Liverpool. seafront.
“The club is not for sale, but I have spoken to some high quality investors to fill a void in the stadium,” he said.
“I can do it myself. But I want to attract top sporting investors to Everton. We are close to completing a deal.
“It’s not selling the club at all, it’s just bringing in more expertise in terms of global sponsorship, business development.
“A lot of sports investors have that pool of knowledge and that’s to guarantee Everton that.”
Despite the displeasure of supporters, Moshiri reiterated his faith in the club’s board, including chairman Bill Kenwright and chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale, who were advised not to attend the recent home game against Southampton due to a “real and credible threat to their safety”.
The British-Iranian businessman said he would make the necessary changes to help lead Everton away from the Premier League relegation zone and urged fans to rally behind the team.
“It’s the most critical moment in our history. It’s almost an existential point,” said Moshiri, who bought a majority stake in Everton in 2016.
“I have confidence in this board. In the past, I have removed directors and appointed directors. I do not hesitate to make changes. We make changes when needed.
“We will be ruthless. We have to be calm and we have to go beyond our current position on the pitch.
“I feel the pain. I hear what the fans are saying. They have points. We will talk to them. I don’t miss anything. I have a list of all the points.
“I am committed to this club, not just to this stadium but to join the top flight. But I need your help (from the fans).
“The fans are the most important part of the institution of Everton. We have to get through this together – only we can get through this together.
“Everton were dependent on Goodison and the 12th man. I know we’re much weaker without the full support of the fans and I’ll do whatever it takes to get the fans on board. I’m on it 24/7.”
