David Moyes admits he has never spoken to Everton owner since returning

David Moyes has broken his silence with an admission that lays bare the disconnect at the heart of Everton: he has not spoken once to Dan Friedkin, the club's owner and chairman, since taking over as manager in January 2025. The Scot also sent a defiant message after a chaotic end to the transfer window and backed his squad to deliver a memorable campaign.

• Moyes has had no contact with Dan Friedkin in the 20 months since replacing Sean Dyche.
• The Friedkin Group is under scrutiny after a summer of sales and no marquee arrivals.
• The manager believes a thin squad can inspire players and fans to achieve something special.
• The abandoned sale of Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest sparked fan anger.
• Moyes admits a successful club needs full alignment at boardroom level.

Moyes makes shock admission about Dan Friedkin contact

The Everton manager confirmed on Friday a remarkable detail: he has not exchanged a word with the founder and chief executive of the Friedkin Group since his appointment at Goodison Park. Day-to-day operations fall to Marc Watts, the club's executive chairman, and Rishi Majithia, Friedkin's son-in-law, who acts as the owner's representative on the ground. Moyes, however, has no direct line to the man who owns the club.

The revelation carries even more weight at a time when the Friedkin Group's ambition is being questioned, with reports suggesting they are exploring fresh investment or even a full sale. Moyes's comments add another layer of doubt over a summer defined by player exits and little in the way of reinforcements.

The boardroom alignment Moyes believes Everton needs

Any successful club needs to be aligned at the top. We have new owners who are still feeling their way in the club. I think if we get to know each other more it will get better.

Asked directly whether he had ever held a conversation with Friedkin, Moyes was blunt. He answered no, and repeated the same response when pressed on whether he had even met him in person. His main point of contact with the ownership is chief executive Angus Kinnear, who serves as the bridge between the dugout and the boardroom.

Everton's disastrous end to the transfer window and the Armstrong sale

The turning point of the summer came when the Friedkin Group decided to sell Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest last weekend. The backlash from Evertonians was so fierce that the deal was reversed, but the damage was already done. Moyes was left with a thinner squad after the sales of Iliman Ndiaye, Beto, Tim Iroegbunam and Nathan Patterson.

The manager did not hide that his squad has been reduced, but he avoided self-pity and instead challenged both his players and the fanbase. Goodison Park has a history of becoming a fortress when the crowd unites, and Moyes wants to harness that energy in a season that has started under a cloud.

Moyes calls on Goodison Park crowd: 'You have to do something special'

We don't have a huge squad but sometimes you need to do something special in football and we will attempt to do that. Everton is different. I wouldn't have come back for anybody but Everton.

The Scot recalled the powerful image Evertonians showed last week and asked supporters to get behind the team because the squad is short and will need extra from the stands. However, he also issued a veiled warning: in these situations, when results go wrong, there is usually only one person who gets the blame, the manager.

Moyes said returning to Everton has reinvigorated him and described this period as a small bump in the road that he needs to overcome quickly. The upcoming fixtures will be demanding and the margin for error is slim for a club trying to stabilise after years of turbulence.