The Guardian exclusively reported on Friday that Everton has drawn criticism for deliberately exploiting a legal loophole in the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) by transferring its women's team shares to an investment company affiliated with the club's American owner, Dan Friedkin.

According to the report, Friedkin recently applied to the UK Companies House to transfer all shares in the women's team and the club's former home staidium, Goodison Park, to his investment company, Roundhouse Capital.

Friedkin successfully acquired Everton last December and announced that the men's team would move to their new stadium, Hill Dickinson Stadium, at the Bramley-Moore Dock this summer. He then quickly acquired the land rights to the existing Goodison Park ground.

Several months ago, they announced that Goodison Park would become the new home of the women's team after being renovated to meet the regulations of the Women's Super League.

While Friedkin publicly stated that this seemingly legitimate move was intended to help the club successfully attract potential investors for its women's team, effectively manage its operations, and ensure its continued independence, journalists and opposing clubs' fans questioned whether it was more of an attempt to exploit a legal loophole to avoid violating the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Soon after the report was released, the Toffees' actions drew criticism from opposing fans and journalists.

It's worth noting that Everton's move mirrored Chelsea's.

Last year, the Blues also announced the sale of two hotels to an affiliated investment company of owner Todd Boehly, and in May of this year, they announced the sale of an 8% stake in their women's team to Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of the popular American forum website Reddit.

Although Chelsea claimed at the time that this had been approved by the Premier League, it was actually an attempt to exploit a legal loophole to avoid violating the PSR.