Leeds United, Leicester, Southampton, Burnley and Nottingham Forest consider legal action against ‘negligent’ Premier League
Leeds United and their relegation rivals are also considering launching legal action against the Premier League as well as Everton, according to the Daily Mail.
Following on from the Tuesday night (16 May) Mail report that the Whites, along with Southampton, Leicester, Nottingham Forest, and Burnley had all signalled their intention to demand compensation from the Toffees if found guilty of an FFP breach, the same outlet now reports the group could bring a “parallel claim” against the league itself.
They are “unhappy” that the organisation allegedly did not enforce its own profit and sustainability rules against Everton when working together with the Merseyside club to control their spending over the past two years.
A source at one of the clubs told Mail Sport: “It’s clear that the Premier League have been ineffective or negligent with regards to enforcing their own rules.
“Everton’s defence against the charges is essentially that the Premier League approved all their expenditure, which appears to be the case.
“The Premier League certainly had advance warning of Everton’s planned expenditure before they submitted their 2021/22 accounts in March, yet they stood back and allowed them to keep spending.”
Martyn Ziegler reported in The Times on Wednesday morning (17 May) that the clubs had “distanced themselves” from the legal action threat against Everton.
Unhappy
Everton are now set for an independent hearing over one alleged FFP breach, after a 24 March charge from the Premier League, but the clubs are upset that they were assured there was no case to answer a year ago.
The Toffees made signings in the summer, although failed to bring in anyone in January, while selling Richarlison and Anthony Gordon for big money in each window respectively.
The Telegraph reported almost exactly a year ago (22 May 2022) that the Premier League risked “civil war” if there was no confidence in their regulatory framework, at a time when Leeds United and Burnley were threatening legal action over the Everton losses – which the Toffees insist are permitted due to Covid-19 and other add-backs.
If the most recent Mail report on Wednesday (17 May) is anything to go by then it suggests there is anything but confidence in that framework, and what that might mean regarding the prospect of an independent regulator could be significant.
A great number of blocks have to fall into place before the Whites position in this situation becomes clear, including whether Sam Allardyce keeps them in the Premier League over the remaining two games.
And as nothing has been proven against Everton yet it may all end up being a moot point, but after United and the other sides unsuccessfully pressed to get the independent Toffees hearing brought forward there looks to be all manner of suspicions flying around within the top flight currently.
In other Leeds United news, a manager the Whites wanted this season has spoken out about the experience and admitted he wants a chance in the Premier League.