Leicester City face double points deduction blow – Keith Wyness
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has backed the EFL’s move to hit Leicester City with a points deduction if they are relegated this term.
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 the crushing double blow is necessary to “stamp out the loophole” found by the Foxes.
The Guardian reported last week (18 September) that the EFL now wants to charge Leicester with a PSR breach if they are relegated to the Championship again.
The Foxes were hit with a Premier League charge for breaching financial rules but will face no points deduction for the 2022-23 campaign this season.
They successfully argued on appeal they were no longer a top-flight side when they submitted their accounts on 30 June 2023 – following their relegation to the Championship.
Wyness backs Leicester points deduction if relegated
However, Wyness insisted it “makes sense” for the EFL to enforce financial rules if Leicester fall back into their jurisdiction next season.
He told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I’ve been looking into this and it seems possible they will get a points deduction if relegated.
“The loophole around this was that they changed the accounting period so they were in the EFL when these charges happened.
“The EFL are now saying they will go back and charge them, and I think that’s correct.
“It makes sense for the authorities to do that, and I think they will go ahead if possible.
“There’s a desire from the Premier League and the EFL to stamp out this loophole.
“Leicester have got that potential problem if relegated, so it’s a big incentive to stay in the league this year.
“There’s already a precedent for points deductions from the Everton and Nottingham Forest cases, but they won’t have the mitigation around cooperation.
“They won’t be able to have those deductions reduced.”
In other news, Steve Cooper is struggling to win over the dressing room at the King Power.
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