Everton forced to pay Burnley £35m for breaching Premier League financial rules

This is an unprecedented affair which has shaken the Premier League: Everton has been ordered to pay 35 million pounds sterling to Burnley, following a judgment rendered by an independent commission of the English league. This dispute follows Everton's violation of the Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR) over three financial years, relating to the 2021-2022 season.

Burnley had argued that Everton's irregular financial situation had directly impacted their chances of maintaining their place among the elite. As a result, the Clarets, relegated at the end of this season, won their case with compensation of 26 million pounds and 9 million in interest.

Everton, for its part, quickly appealed, saying in a press release that this decision was “fundamentally erroneous in law and in fact”, judging that it established “a dangerous and inapplicable precedent” for English football. The club says the panel's decision does not accurately reflect the arguments put forward by its legal advisers and remains confident about the outcome of the appeal. Please note that this payment would not be taken into account in the PSR calculations for the current period.

After being sanctioned by the Premier League with a withdrawal of 10 points in November 2023 (finally reduced to 6 points after appeal), Everton thus suffered a new sanction. According to Burnley, if this penalty had been applied from 2021-2022, the Lancashire club would have had one more chance of remaining. Everton finished 16th with 39 points, Leeds 17th with 38 and Burnley 18th with 35.

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According to Premier League rules, it is impossible to apply points withdrawals in the same season as the infractions, with the accounts being closed at the end of June. However, clubs can claim compensation if they judge to have suffered damage due to an opponent's infractions. Leeds have also already reached an amicable agreement with Everton in September 2025.

Other clubs, such as Leicester City, Nottingham Forest or Southampton, have reportedly considered similar approaches. This decision could therefore create a precedent with serious consequences, including for Chelsea, who were fined 10 million pounds for undeclared payments, or Manchester City, still facing 115 charges for alleged misconduct over the period 2009-2018.

This is to date the largest amount claimed by one club from another in the history of the Premier League. Everton managers expressed their astonishment at the sum allocated to Burnley, especially since they consider the decision much more severe than for other notable precedents, such as those of Chelsea or West Ham of the Tevez-Mascherano era (fine of 5.5 million pounds in 2007).

For the moment, the sum owed does not alter the recruitment strategy put in place by the new owners of Everton, the Friedkin Group, which aims to bring the club back to the top of the Premier League. The club intends to vigorously defend its position in the matter.

This affair therefore punctuates the news of the Premier League and recalls the growing importance of extra-sporting issues in modern football.