Everton manager Sean Dyche says uncertainty over the club’s ownership situation is hampering his plans to strengthen the squad after they secured Premier League survival.
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has had an agreement in place to sell the club to 777 Partners since September.
But reports have said the deal is close to collapse, with suggestions the US investment firm has encountered a series of problems over unpaid debts with some of their other acquisitions.
Dyche, whose team host Sheffield United on Saturday, said the uncertainty was frustrating.
“I didn’t know at the time but ever since I got here I’ve been trying to manage the situation with the goalposts moving significantly at any given time so I don’t think I’m in new waters for that side of things,” he said on Thursday.
“And that is the challenge at the moment, it is the current shifting sands of this football club.
“I’ve said many times you want to put a base into the club to build from but it’s not quite there yet so we are all open-minded on the recruitment and player contract side, the staff, on what comes next.”
The former Burnley boss added: “People get this impression that when we (Everton) made sure we had secured ourselves (in the Premier League) there was that underlying feeling of, ‘crack on now’.
“It’s not as easy as that. We’re not in a ‘crack-on’ moment at the moment. There is lots to do to get back to the base and level playing field in order to move forwards.
“There are situations out of my control but they are in people’s control, certainly at the level of the club that know about more of the details and minutiae and important side of getting the deal done.
“I just have to stay flexible-minded as to what comes next. Every week is like that here.”
