Everton appear to be edging closer to a £200million takeover after talks with the American investors John Jay Moores and Charles Noell are now in advanced stages, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Moores and Noell have been in talks with Toffees owner Bill Kenwright in recent months while undergoing a six-week due diligence period assessing the club's finances.
It is also believed two other groups remain interested in buying the club but talks with the US consortium are now at such an advanced stage that an agreement is close and could be concluded within the next month.
Everton's search for investment looks to be drawing to an end
Everton owner Bill Kenwright, who bought the club from Peter Johnson for £20million in December 1999, has been searching for new investment for nearly a decade, but he has yet to find the right party to sell to.
There has been a growing interest in buying the club from a number of groups. In October, American investors, with a link to Major League Soccer side Sporting Kansas City, were reported to have been exploring the purchase of the club.
However, Kenwright has always maintained that he will only sell to the right person and, after years of inactivity regarding a sale, this latest move represents a positive development in the club's search for new investment.
Moores and Noell were previously interested in investing in Swansea City and the pair have spent six weeks conducting a process of due diligence. In addition, to speaking to chairman Kenwright, they have had talks with the club's other major shareholders, Robert Earl and Jon Woods.
Another Premier League club with American investors?
Everton could become the second Premier League club to secure American investment in less than five months, if the deal were to go through, after Crystal Palace agreed to sell a stake of their club to Joshua Harris and David Blitzer last December.
It would also mean that both Merseyside Premier League sides have American owners, with John W. Henry owning Liverpool. The Toffees could join an ever-growing list of Premier League clubs with American investors with Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester United and Sunderland all owned by Americans along with Palace and Liverpool.