Leeds United, Leicester City and Burnley could hand Everton ‘multi-million pound legal bill’ over Premier League FFP charges

Everton are facing the prospect of legal action from Leeds United and three others club if they are found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s financial fair play rules, according to reports.

In March, the Premier League referred Everton to an independent commission after alleging the Merseyside club breached the competition’s Profitability and Sustainability rules (FFP) in the period ending 2021/22.

In a fresh development, The Guardian report Everton could be hit with legal action from Leeds, along with Leicester City, Southampton and Burnley that could cost the Merseyside outfit ‘tens of millions of pounds’ if they lose their case which will reportedly be heard on October 25.

In May 2022, then relegation-threatened Leeds and Burnley submitted a joint letter to the Premier League threatening to bring legal action for substantial damages against the league and Everton after the club reported combined losses of £371.8 million over a three-year period.

Following Leeds’ survival on the final day of the 2021/22 season, the club opted not to pursue their claim. The league’s profit and sustainability rules state a club can only record losses of £105million over a three-year period but the league told Leeds and Burnley last season there was no case to answer.

Relegation is estimated to cost clubs at least £100m, with Burnley said to still be keen to pursue legal action if Everton are found guilty despite securing an immediate return to the top flight after an impressive Championship campaign. The report adds all four clubs could also seek damages from the Premier League due to a ‘mismanagement’ of the scenario.

Leeds were relegated in their last match of the campaign after finishing 19th with Leicester City going down on the final day as Everton clinched victory over Bournemouth to finish 17th.

Following the Premier League’s March statement, Everton ‘robustly denied’ non-compliance and released a statement of their own outlining their disappointment at the Premier League’s decision.