Everton handed Premier League points deduction with Toffees to appeal immediately

Everton have been docked ten points by the Premier League for breaching financial rules.

It has plunged the Toffees into relegation danger with Sean Dyche’s side now in the bottom-three.

Everton responded with an immediate appeal and an official statement revealing their ‘shock’ at the decision.

talkSPORT understands the sanction relates to interest payments on their new Bromley Moore Dock Stadium.

Profit and sustainability rules allow clubs to lose a maximum of £105million over a three-year period or face sanctions.

Premier League chiefs have acknowledged the Merseyside club has not broken financial rules to gain a sporting advantage, but they have still been hit with a points penalty.

Everton have also been operating under a strict spending cap, agreed with the Premier League, for some time that has limited transfer fees and player wages.

A statement from the top-flight read: “An independent Commission has imposed an immediate deduction of 10 points on Everton FC for a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs).

“The Premier League issued a complaint against the club and referred the case to an independent commission earlier this year. During the proceedings, the club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending Season 2021/22 but the extent of the breach remained in dispute.

“Following a five-day hearing last month, the commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5million, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105million permitted under the PSRs. The commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.”

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The Merseyside club has responded to the ruling with a strongly-worded statement, branding the sanction ‘disproportionate’ and ‘unjust’.

While confirming they will now launch an appeal, Everton also said they will ‘monitor with great interest’ the decisions made in other similar cases in the Premier League, with Man City and Chelsea also under investigation.

“Everton Football Club is both shocked and disappointed by the ruling of the Premier League’s Commission,” the statement reads.

“The Club believes that the Commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction. The Club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence and the Club’s case will be heard by an Appeal Board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course.

“Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process. The Club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings. Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the Commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted.

“The Club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

“Everton cannot comment on this matter any further until the appeal process has concluded.”