Unequal treatment in the Premier League?
©IMAGO
Chelsea FC got off lightly with their past transfer offenses. The Blues were fined a good 11 million euros, but the Stamford Bridge team escaped a point deduction. Everton coach David Moyes had recently pointed out that Londoners were treated unequally compared to his club. Now Liverpool aren’t the only ones who seem to be making a formal complaint to the Premier League. Nottingham Forest are also reportedly considering legal action.
Both Everton and Nottingham were once fined points for breaching financial rules – unlike Chelsea. The fact that the Londoners were only fined and a one-year transfer ban was suspended for two years was due to the fact that Chelsea themselves reported the offenses from 2010 to 2018. Everton and Nottingham, who were hit much harder for other rule violations, are still apparently dissatisfied with Chelsea’s punishment.
On Wednesday, The Guardian newspaper reported that Everton was preparing a letter to the Premier League demanding a formal explanation as to why sporting sanctions against Chelsea had not been imposed. Legal steps are also being examined. On Thursday, The Athletic reported that Forest was considering a formal complaint.
Nottingham had four Premier League points deducted in March 2024 for breaching the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). At that time, Forest was already fighting against relegation. As table 17th. Forest still remained in the upper house at the end of the 2023/24 season. Everton finished 15th in the same season, although the Toffees were even deducted eight points for Financial Fair Play offences.
“We have to understand, what’s the difference to us? What would you prefer, a £10 million fine or a ten point deduction?” Everton coach Moyes recently asked members of the press. “The money they (Chelsea) get now for their place in the table could perhaps cover that. It would be good if we got a more detailed explanation.” Under the former club owner Roman Abramovic, Chelsea had made large-scale hidden payments of more than 47 million pounds to unregistered players’ agents and were thus said to have initiated the transfers of Eden Hazard or André Schürrle (more on the background).
