David Moyes admitted he was "surprised" by The Friedkin Group's decision to consider selling a controlling stake in the club, less than two years after taking over.

In a statement on Friday, TFG announced they were open to new investment into the club, despite only acquiring Everton from Farhad Moshiri back in December 2024. 

The group said their immediate priority had been to provide the stability, investment and support required to secure Everton's future, including completing the new stadium.

In addition, TFG added they would only consider proposals from interested parties they believed could build on the progress made since they took over on Merseyside. 

TFG's decision follows a transfer window that drew criticism from supporters, with Everton accepting a £40m bid from Nottingham Forest for Harrison Armstrong before pulling out of that deal, while also allowing Beto to join Fiorentina without signing a replacement. 

"Yeah, I was surprised, they'd only come in a year and a half ago," Moyes said at a press conference following the news. 

"Most owners come in for a lot longer than that. We were all expecting them to be here for 20 to 30 years, however long it may be.

"But maybe the way things worked out over the transfer window, I probably had seen through it a little bit before that. It's probably all there for Evertonians to see now.

"I truly believed that with new ownership who were in for it completely with us all, my ambition coming back was to get Everton back to the levels they'd been at in the past – challenging for Europe more often, being around it.

"And you could probably tell with how I've been a lot over the summer that that's the way it's been. It's been a difficult summer for us."

Club statement.

— Everton (@Everton) October 9, 2026

But Everton's attention will now turn to matters on the pitch this weekend, when they return to Premier League action at the MKM Stadium against newly-promoted Hull City. 

Sergej Jakirovic's side have made a strong start to life back in the top tier, sitting eighth after their first five matches and just one point and one place behind unbeaten Everton. 

Hull signed off for the international break off the back of their first league defeat of the season, going down 2-1 at St. James' Park against Newcastle United on September 19. 

And despite all of Everton's issues off the field, Jakirovic expects another tough test against a side he acknowledges have plenty of quality in all areas. 

"[They are] still unbeaten. It is very difficult to stay unbeaten. I think they're very pragmatic, they have high tactical discipline," Jakirovic noted. 

"Good players, international players of England. Also, [Jack] Grealish is there. Maybe he can be the difference at any time. They have experience at this level.

"I am expecting a difficult game on Sunday, but they also have pros and cons, so we will try to use these cons."

On Everton boss Moyes, Jakirovic added: "I call this type of coach an old fox. They know everything about football, they have a lot of experience."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hull City – Mohamed Belloumi

Belloumi has been involved in four goals (two goals, two assists) in the Premier League this season.

It is the joint-most by a Hull player in their first five matches in the competition, along with Mohamed Diame (four goals) and Dame N'Doye (three goals, one assist).

Back in @premierleague action. https://t.co/94VnM5zxGt

— Hull City (@HullCity) October 8, 2026

Everton – Thierno Barry

Only Erling Haaland (4.43) and Alexander Isak (3.54) have a higher expected goals tally than Everton's Barry (3.50) in the Premier League this season.

However, Barry's xG underperformance of -1.5 (2 goals) is the third-biggest of any player in the competition this season.

MATCH PREDICTION: EVERTON WIN

Of all sides Everton have faced more than twice in the Premier League, they average more goals-per-game against Hull than anyone else (2.2 – 22 goals in 10 games), scoring at least twice in eight of their 10 meetings in the competition.

However, since the start of 2021-22, Everton have won just two of their 15 Premier League away games against newly promoted opponents (D8 L5), beating Burnley 2-0 in 2023-24 and Ipswich 2-0 in 2024-25.

Everton do, however, remain unbeaten in their five Premier League games this season (W2 D3), and they could avoid defeat in their first six matches of a campaign in the competition for the third time, after 2006-07 (first seven) and 2013-14 (six).

Hull have won just two of their 10 Premier League games against Everton (D3 L5), although both were at home, winning 3-2 in November 2009 and 2-0 in January 2015.

The Tigers are the only team yet to concede at home in the Premier League this season. Hull could become only the third newly promoted side to keep a clean sheet in each of their first three home games of a Premier League campaign, after Swansea City in 2011-12 (first four) and Watford in 2015-16 (three).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Hull City – 28.4%

Draw – 25.9%

Everton – 45.7%