Everton docked 10-point for financial irregularity

Everton have received an immediate 10-point deduction after being found to have breached the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

The punishment is the biggest sporting sanction in the competition’s history and leaves Everton 19th in the table on a new total of four points.

The club said it was “both shocked and disappointed” by the “wholly disproportionate and unjust” ruling.

Everton have said they intend to appeal against the decision.

The Premier League referred Everton to an independent commission in March but did not reveal the specifics of the club’s alleged breach.

Everton posted financial losses for the fifth successive year in March after reporting a £44.7m deficit in 2021-22.

Premier League clubs are permitted to lose £105m over a three-year period and Everton admitted to being in breach of the profit and sustainability rules (PSR) for the period ending 2021-22.

Following a five-day hearing in October, the commission found in favour of the Premier League that Everton’s losses during that period amounted to £124.5m.

In a statement, Everton said: “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.”

The points deduction comes at a time of significant uncertainty at Everton.

In September, owner Farhad Moshiri agreed to sell his 94% stake in the club to American investment fund 777 Partners. The takeover is going through the regulatory processes and, before this ruling, sources said it was on course to be completed by next month.

Man City to rival Arsenal for Neves

Manchester City are reportedly ready to go head-to-head with Arsenal for the signature of Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves.

The Portugal international was linked with a plethora of elite European clubs during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers, having played a fundamental role in their rise from a Championship team to a top-half Premier League club.

Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal were all believed to have been in for Neves, but the midfielder was instead seduced by the riches of the Saudi Pro League, joining Al-Hilal for €55m (£48.1m)
Neves has unsurprisingly cemented a regular starting role for the Middle Eastern giants this season, scoring two goals and setting up one more in 17 matches alongside fellow summer signings Neymar, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Portuguese’s contract with Jorge Jesus’s team runs until the summer of 2026, but rumours of a possible Premier League return are beginning to swirl, and it has been claimed that Arsenal could reignite their interest.

Newcastle United are also said to have considered a January loan move following Sandro Tonali’s 10-month suspension, although the Magpies could be blocked from doing a deal as the Premier League votes on whether to ban teams loaning players to clubs under the same ownership.

With Newcastle potentially out of the running, Football Insider claims that Manchester City have thrown their hat into the ring as Pep Guardiola searches for a successor to wantaway Kalvin Phillips.

The former Leeds United man’s switch to the Etihad has not worked out as intended for either party, having only started two Premier League matches for the champions since his arrival last summer.

With Euro 2024 on the horizon, both Phillips and Man City are now expected to engineer the midfielder’s exit in the January transfer window, which could open the door for Neves to return to the Premier League.

Guardiola is said to be a huge admirer of the former Wolves midfielder, who in turn is alleged to be open to departing Al-Hilal as early as January or in the upcoming summer transfer window.