Premier League side Everton secured a multi-million-pound naming rights deal with a company founded by Russian billionaire and Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov, according to Andy Hunter of the London GUARDIAN. USM Holdings, the holding company for Usmanov’s "wide-ranging business interests," has become Everton’s first training-ground partner in a five-year deal. The partnership will see Everton’s Finch Farm training complex renamed USM Finch Farm and includes marketing rights plus matchday advertising at Goodison Park. It "also represents a commercial link between Arsenal’s second-largest shareholder and the club where his business partner, Farhad Moshiri, is the major shareholder." Moshiri bought a 49.9% stake in Everton for £87.5M last February, "just days after selling his Arsenal shareholding to Usmanov," giving the latter a 30% interest in the north London club through Red and White Holdings Ltd. (GUARDIAN, 1/5). The BBC's Phil McNulty reported Moshiri and Usmanov, "who has often been linked with buying into Everton but has always stated his full commitment to Arsenal, are long-time friends." Despite Usmanov's involvement with USM Holdings, "there is no suggestion of a conflict of interest because he is not involved in the management of both clubs" (BBC, 1/6). THE DRUM's Tony Connelly reported USM Holdings "is comprised of several major Russian companies including Metalloinvest which is the largest mining company in Russia" and Mail.Ru Group which is the Russian "internet leader" and owner of Russia’s "most popular social networks" VKontakte and Odnoklassniki. The group "is also responsible for UTH Russia, one of Russia’s largest media and entertainment groups" (THE DRUM, 1/6).
