Credit: Imago

Scott Mason

Tue 17 March 2026 6:40, UK

Everton should feel hard done by after the Premier League handed Chelsea a lenient punishment for breaches relating to player transfers.

The London club were handed a one-year suspended transfer ban, a nine-month academy transfer ban and given a £10.75m fine for making 36 undisclosed payments worth £47.5million over 11 years.

It may look like a fair punishment on paper, but those on Merseyside will be scratching their heads.

Not too long ago, the Premier League conducted an investigation into Everton’s finances, and despite seemingly committing a lesser offence, the Blues were given a stronger and harsher sanction.

How Everton’s 2023-2024 punishment compares to Chelsea’s

After submitting their books for the 2022 financial year, the Toffees were found to be in breach of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

The Merseyside club had gone over their allowable losses by £19.5m, with the Premier League believing it provided a sporting advantage.

In the end, Everton were handed a 10-point deduction, which was eventually reduced to six points. Although the Premier League had sought that to be 12 points initially.

However, in the case of Chelsea, there is a clear showing of hypocrisy.

The London club made off-the-book payments to secure the signing of multiple players and in doing so spent over two times the amount Everton were deemed to breach by.

There was also recent relief as Everton found out they would not face another points deduction this season.

Why Everton should feel upset about Chelsea’s punishment

While the punishments have been handed down due to breaking differing rules, there is no mention of Chelsea giving themselves a sporting advantage. The main reason behind Everton’s point deduction.

With those payments, the Stamford Bridge club signed Eden Hazard, Ramires, David Luiz, Andre Schurrle, Nemanja Matic, Willian and Samuel Eto’o, as per BBC Sport.

Recruiting players of that nature and talent is the definition of getting an advantage on the pitch, and multiple trophies followed after bringing those players to West London.

It is clear that the breach of rules gave Chelsea an advantage over their rivals, and yet, their punishment is incredibly lenient compared to Everton’s.

Whether or not the breaches fall under different regulations or not, the difference in sanction will only fuel the perception that the rules are not applied consistently.

One club was deducted points for spending an unsanctioned £19.5m, while another was found to have made £47.5m worth of undisclosed payments tied to multiple transfers without facing a comparable punishment.

It really does not make much sense from an Everton perspective.