Leeds and Burnley threatening multi-MILLION pound damages against Everton & Prem over alleged breach of financial rules
BURNLEY and Leeds are threatening a multi-million pound damages claim against Everton and the Premier League over alleged breaches of financial rules.
The two furious clubs are heading for final day shoot-out to avoid finishing 17th and dropping out of the Prem — after Everton secured their survival.
And in a letter to top-flight bosses, Leeds and Burnley announced they “reserved their right” to legal action against the Toffees and the League.
They also demanded full details over what action, if any, Premier League chiefs are taking into Everton’s finances.
Everton have made losses of £371.8million over the past three seasons — way over the permitted £105m figure under Financial Fair Play rules.
But they were allowed to adjust their figures to account for the previous two Covid-hit seasons.
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And that has allowed Goodison Park chiefs to bring their losses down by £170m.
Everton’s losses are way over those of similar-size clubs, with Aston Villa announcing £56m losses due to Covid, while Newcastle stated this week they were down £40m.
Although Covid losses can be written off, League regulations state that breaches leave clubs open to sanctions including points deductions.
An Everton spokesperson said: “We have worked so closely with the Premier League to make sure we are compliant, we are comfortable we have complied with the rules.
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“External auditors have told us what we can and cannot claim against the pandemic.
“If they want to take legal action then they can do so by all means.”
But Burnley and Leeds believe other Prem clubs will back their stand over what they see as Everton gaining an unfair advantage over their rivals.
What Toffees boss Frank Lampard does not yet know is what the implications of profit and sustainability rules will be.
Lampard said: “I haven’t felt that to be honest, but if that is the case, we will sit down and try and work the best way through it,” he said.
“I know it is a big story, I know FFP (Financial Fair Play), I genuinely don’t know the details.
“If I had my way, let me keep players who perform really well for the club and let us keep as far up the table as we can.
“My biggest thing here is that I want a happy determined camp that moves in the same direction and that is something we have to look at in every sense.”