Finance Expert: Authorities to have ‘zero sympathy’ for Everton after failed Goodison move for Neal Maupay
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has said that authorities will have “zero sympathy” for Everton after Neal Maupay’s failed move to Goodison Park.
The Toffees have already received a 10-point deduction having been adjudged to have broken the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules and they could be facing a second deduction as new rules ensure that any club who breaks the rules will face punishment in the same season.
Everton have already taken a number of steps to attempt to lower their wage bill and avoid breaking the Premier League’s rules for a second time, but Maguire believes that expensive moves like that of Maupay could see the Toffees face “zero sympathy”.
As quoted by The Telegraph (30 November) he said: “Everton have made significant progress in reducing the wage bill with some high earners leaving the club.
“The sale of Anthony Gordon for £40m is pure profit as he was an academy product and that will have further assisted the club’s attempt to stay within the Premier League PSR limit of £105 million.
“However, given the signings of the likes of Maupay, ‘there will be zero sympathy from the authorities should the limit be exceeded,’ Maguire adds.”
Past mistakes catching up
While the initial 10-point deduction awarded to Everton was undoubtedly harsh, it feels as though the Toffees have nobody but themselves to blame as they have repeatedly made questionable financial decisions under the ownership of Farhad Moshiri.
Signings such as Maupay were expensive and did very little to help the Toffees on the field, with the Frenchman only finding the net twice in 34 appearances for Everton after Frank Lampard shelled out £15 million for the striker [BBC Sport].
Over the course of the last few seasons, Everton have known that they have been towing a fine line between them and the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, but still, they have spent heavily in the transfer market, often without bringing much quality to Goodison Park.
Hopefully, the Toffees will have done enough to lower their wage bill to dodge an additional points deduction this season, as any further action would surely relegate Sean Dyche’s side. But if the Toffees have broken that PSR limit of £105 million again, they have nobody but themselves to blame.
In other Everton news, Ben Jacobs has shared an update on 777 Partners’ takeover with problems emerging for the American firm