Leicester City can expect the outcome of their financial breach hearing before the start of the season, sources have told Football Insider.
Senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke, speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, revealed that the Premier League is scrambling to avoid the mistakes and backlash faced with Everton and Nottingham Forest’s deductions last season.
This move comes after fans protested against points deductions being decided mid-season, leading to widespread criticism across the media.
Leicester were charged in March with a breach of profit and sustainability rules for the 2022-23 campaign after reporting losses of £89.7 million for that year alone.
Premier League sides are permitted to lose a maximum of £105 million over a three-year period, and Leicester’s total was well beyond their limit.
The timeline for Leicester City’s points deduction has now emerged. Football Insider revealed on 13 July that the deduction handed to Leicester could be “huge” given the extent of their rule breach.
Everton and Nottingham Forest found themselves in similar situations last season. Everton lost eight points in total after two separate incidents, with an initial ten-point deduction reduced to six, before a further two points were taken for a second breach. Forest, meanwhile, were deducted four points for their singular breach, which was upheld after an appeal.
These deductions occurred during a tense relegation battle, casting doubt and uncertainty over the teams’ fortunes – a scenario all parties are keen to avoid this time around. The Premier League is now pushing to get a final decision sorted before the season begins on 16 August.
Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, revealed that Leicester’s deduction is expected to be north of 12 points. Such a severe penalty could have significant implications for Leicester’s upcoming campaign, potentially affecting their position and ambitions for the season.
The urgency to conclude the hearing and deliver a verdict stems from the desire to maintain competitive integrity and ensure that the new season starts with clarity. Leicester City, like Everton and Forest before them, will be hoping for a swift and fair resolution to their financial breach case.