Wayne Rooney’s former club Everton could be eyeing a Jain diet cooked in a Calcutta boardroom to nourish itself back to financial health.

Reports in the British media and on the Internet have mentioned a “Jain Group” as having expressed an interest in investing in the 133-year-old Premier League club, triggering speculation in India where you can chuck a football and be rest assured it will land on a business baron with Jain for a surname.

The Jain Group that seems to fit the bill is the one fronted by Mannoj Jain, who oversees his company’s projects across eastern India from a Calcutta office and is jointly bidding for a proposed sports township in Rajarhat.

According to the Liverpool Daily Post, “speculation has gathered pace in recent weeks that Mumbai construction firm Jain Group were ready to pump millions of pounds into the Goodison Park outfit but there is no deal in place”.

“It is believed that Jain Group have visited Merseyside as they look to invest money in the area and have also held talks with (Everton) chairman Bill Kenwright in London,” according to the paper.

There is a similar report in the Liverpool Echo, which has reported that “the group interested in buying Everton FC have already had a tour of Goodison Park”.

“Senior representatives from India’s Jain Group were shown around the EFC stadium during a meeting with club chief executive Robert Elstone last month,” the Echo has said. “And although the construction giants, who also have vast energy and property interests in their homeland, have proved they have the funds necessary to complete a takeover, they have yet to progress to the due diligence phase of any potential deal.”

Mannoj Jain, whose group has “headquarters in Calcutta and Delhi” among other cities, was non-committal about Everton. Approached by Metro, he declined to comment on speculation in the Liverpool papers. He also acknowledged “there are many Jain groups in India”.

What can be confirmed is that Mannoj Jain has been in Britain, discussing infrastructure projects to the value of £300 million with potential partners, including local authorities. He has also let it be known that he is interested in investing in a sports project without revealing whether it is football. “We do not want to put all our eggs in one basket. We also want to be international,” that is all he would say.

Since Lakshmi Mittal and family have invested in Queens Park Rangers and poultry giant Venky’s in Blackburn Rovers, Indian interest in English football clubs is no longer deemed unusual. With English Premier League games being beamed to massive television audiences in India and elsewhere, it makes commercial sense for Indian companies to be associated with well-known British brands.

Several British journalists called The Telegraph office on Wednesday to enquire about “the Jain Group” that was in talks with Everton for a takeover or a major stake in the club.

So is Everton ready for an Indian takeover?

The Liverpool Daily Post urges caution: “Jain Group are just one of several parties Everton have held discussions with and it is understood Kenwright has not seen anything in the Indian talks to convince him their meeting will lead to a concrete offer of investment at this time. Secondary reports said Jain Group were also looking into the possibility of loaning Everton money and allowing the current chairman to remain in control, as well as exploring the idea of completing a full takeover.”

Facebook and Twitter have been buzzing with speculation over the past few days about the bid by “an Indian group” for the Boys in Blue that had Rooney in their ranks till he switched sides to become Sir Alex Ferguson’s blue-eyed boy at Manchester United.

Everton, coached by David Moyes, is currently 16th in the EPL standings, two places above Blackburn. Fans of the club seem enthusiastic about the possibility of an Indian takeover as long as it gives Moyes the financial strength to build a team of his choice.

A report in the Sky Sports website that hinted at “American interest” in investing in Everton invited the following comment: “As a proud Everton supporter for over 40 years I personally at this stage would rather see the club run by a bunch of Indians than a bunch of cowboys.”

A rival fan had this to say: “Hot curry pies at half time soon then. At least you bluenoses will get a decent snack…”

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