Everton Insider: 'Significant' reduction to Burnley compensation 'nailed on'
That is according to former Toffees chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the punishment could effectively be reduced to a "minor slap on the wrist" through reduced compensation.
This comes after the Merseysiders were ordered to pay the Clarets £35m back in June, after their counterparts successfully argued that Everton's financial breaches back in 2021-22 affected their ability to stay in the Premier League.
Wyness believes that his former club have enough evidence for their appeal to be successful, and feels that they have the perfect man leading their defence in Laurence Rabinowitz KC.
Rabinowitz is known as the 'saviour of Everton' after playing a significant role in getting the club's points deduction reduced back in 2024.
His next task is to take a sizeable chunk out of Burnley's compensation payment in January, and Wyness believes he has a strong chance of doing so.
Everton have 40% chance of overturning verdict
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the Toffees even have a 40 per cent chance of overturning the verdict altogether and paying no compensation at all.
However, the Scottish businessman is adamant that a "significant" reduction will be the last that Everton get.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained how he sees Everton's chances through their appeal.
"Yeah, Mr Rabinowitz, known by the Everton fans as Super Silk, and I think he's going to have his own chant fairly soon as well," he said.
"Given the information I saw and the evidence presented, in particular some expert witness evidence, I think Rabinowitz has got enough there to get this significantly reduced. I think overturning it might be a slight problem, but I think it won't be anywhere near £35m.
"I think we could be looking at a minor slap on the wrist. I think there is maybe a 40 per cent chance it could be overturned. But I think it's almost nailed on that it's going to be reduced considerably from £35m down to a very small amount.
"But I do think the evidence is there for an appeal to work, and I think you've got the right guy to do it. Everton have got great hopes in this case that we're finally going to get some sort of break."
Everton playing key role in Man City punishment
Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider on Tuesday that the recent points deductions handed out to both Everton and Nottingham Forest will play a "key role" in Manchester City's punishment.
The Citizens have been found guilty of 114 financial breaches by the Premier League, and are expected to be facing a points deduction that could potentially ensure their relegation.
Brown believes that any deduction handed out to Enzo Maresca's side must line up with the ones dished out to Everton and Forest back in 2024.
The Toffees were deducted six points after their appeal, but Brown expects City's punishment to be far greater in accordance with their breaches.