Keith Wyness: Premier League is a laughing stock after new Everton bombshell
Former Everton chief Keith Wyness has insisted “La Liga are laughing” at the Premier League – which he says has taken a reputational hit since punishing clubs for financial breaches.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – suggested areas of growth in football, like Saudi Arabia, will see the controversy as a chance to challenge the English game.
Everton and Nottingham Forest were charged with breaching the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability (PSR) rules on Monday (15 January).
Meanwhile, treble-winning Man City have already been charged with 115 alleged breaches of league financial rules in a case which is expected to be heard later this year.
Everton’s charge is the second they have faced – with their first PSR breach resulting in a historic biggest-ever 10-point deduction which was applied earlier in the 2023-24 campaign.
The Premier League is by far the richest in the world and is broadcast in 212 countries, but Wyness has warned these developments could hit the league’s reputation.
He told Football Insider: “It really does have a big impact on the league’s reputation.
“Things like stock exchanges around the world, the reputation is based on the regulation. That’s how the financial market in Britain has done so well.
“The Premier League is exactly the same. We’re being looked at – and leagues like La Liga are laughing.
“Other areas of growth will see this as a weakness and will see this as a chance to challenge the Premier League.
“I’ll say this – it happened on the chairman, Alison Brittain’s watch – as well as Richard Masters. They must be held accountable.”
In other news, Tottenham and Everton step up interest in Championship star.