Everton sell training ground naming rights to Arsenal shareholder

A company founded by Arsenal shareholder, Alisher Usmanov, has secured the naming rights for the for Everton's training ground in a deal which has been described as "high-value".

Usmanov has a close working relationship with Everton's major shareholder Farhad Moshiri as well as his company, USM Holdings. The deal is scheduled to last five years and as a result the training ground will be renamed USM Finch Farm. The deal was one of two deals that were announced at their AGM totalling £75m.

Moshiri told shareholders at a meeting this week: "It is not enough to say 'we are special'. We don't want to be a museum. We need to be competitive and we need to win."

Moshiri sold his stake in Arsenal to Usmanov who is the second largest shareholder with a 30.04% stake in order to purchase of a 49.9% shareholding in Everton for £87.5m 11 months ago.

JC