Leicester SUING Premier League and EFL as they launch damning statement after being charged with alleged FFP breaches
LEICESTER have launched legal proceedings against the Premier League and EFL.
The Championship promotion hopefuls were yesterday charged with breaching the Prem’s Financial Fair Play rules.
The Foxes, who sit second in the Championship, could face a points deduction next season, should they return to the top flight.
Earlier this season Everton were deducted six points and Nottingham Forest four over FFP breaches.
Leicester are accused of breaching financial rules during their last three Premier League campaigns.
Enzo Maresca’s side are also facing a separate investigation from the EFL.
Confirming their intention to take legal action, the Foxes wrote in a club statement: “LCFC has been compelled today to issue two urgent legal proceedings against the Premier League and the EFL.
“LCFC will be seeking that each of these proceedings is determined by an appropriate and fully independent legal panel.
“The Club is committed to ensure that any charges against it are properly and proportionately determined, in accordance with the applicable rules, by the right bodies, and at the right time.”
Leicester have also been placed under a player registration embargo by the EFL due to allegedly breaking P&S rules
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The Foxes are one of two teams in the EFL to have been placed under such an embargo, with the other being Morecambe.
Leicester’s accounts for the 2022-23 season have not yet been made publicly available.
But in the year prior, up to May 2022, they made a club-record £92.5million loss.
Top flight clubs are permitted to make losses of no more than £105m over three years.
Yesterday, the Foxes vowed: “LCFC remains willing and eager to engage constructively with the Premier League and the EFL to seek the proper resolution of any potential charges, by the right bodies, and at the right time.
“The Club continues to take careful advice about its position.”
Leicester's statement in full
LCFC has been compelled today to issue two urgent legal proceedings against the Premier League and the EFL. LCFC will be seeking that each of these proceedings is determined by an appropriate and fully independent legal panel.
The Club is committed to ensure that any charges against it are properly and proportionately determined, in accordance with the applicable rules, by the right bodies, and at the right time.
While LCFC would prefer the proceedings to be in public, so its supporters and the wider world can be informed about the important issues of football governance that will be considered, the relevant rules require that these proceedings are conducted confidentially, and LCFC will therefore not be able to comment further about them at this stage.
We reaffirm the Club’s position that we will continue to fight for the right of Leicester City and all clubs to pursue their ambitions, particularly where these have been reasonably and fairly established through sustained sporting achievement.
The Club further notes that at 4pm today the EFL issued a public notification that LCFC has been placed under a registration embargo pursuant to its P&S rules. The EFL is aware that LCFC has disputed the EFL’s entitlement to impose this constraint, which is both restrictive and premature, with more than a quarter of the Club’s 2023/24 reporting period remaining.
Leicester are the latest side to be hit by FFP charges by the Premier League.
Everton were hit with an initial ten-point deduction, later reduced to six upon appeal, for exceeding the maximum loss in a three-year period by £19.5m.
Forest were also charged and slapped with a four-point deduction after being found to have been £34.5m above the permitted losses.
Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side could appeal their deduction, although this may potentially lead to their deduction being increased.
Chelsea and Manchester City have been warned that they could face being kicked out of the Premier League if found guilty of breaking FFP rules.
City strongly deny 115 charges brought against them in February 2023.
While Chelsea are yet to be charged, despite an ongoing investigation after club chiefs flagged up illicit payments made to agents and others during the Roman Abramovich era.
Leicester have spent much of this season at the top of the Championship.
They were overtaken by Leeds last weekend, although do still possess a game in hand on Daniel Farke’s side.
The Foxes are just a point above third-placed Ipswich in what’s set to be a tight promotion tussle.