Leeds and Burnley demand Everton preserve all documents in financial breach row

Burnley and Leeds United have underlined their determination to pursue a case against Everton for alleged financial breaches by requesting that the Premier League contact the Merseyside club and tell them to preserve all data and documents relating to income, transfers and commercial deals.

The two relegation-threatened clubs, who go into the final Premier League matchday knowing that one will go down, have demanded an independent commission to re-examine how Everton have passed financial regulations despite losses of £371.8 million over the last three years. Both clubs have vowed to back the other whatever Sunday’s outcome in any potential legal action against the Premier League and Everton.

Under Premier League rules, clubs are permitted to write-off losses of up to £105m every three years. Everton’s most recent accounts for the financial year ending June 31 last year were £120.9m, although the Premier League’s position is understood to be that it is satisfied that its own profit and sustainability [P&S] regulations have not been breached.

Although neither party has ever disclosed the details of that analysis it is understood that taking into account the deductions from the loss for spending permitted under P&S rules, the club meets its obligations. The Premier League received the joint-signatory letter from Leeds and Burnley last week and has made no public comment on the issue. It has indicated since Everton’s most recent financial results that it has no reason to believe that original calculations passing the accounts under P&S rules were erroneous.

The case against Everton is being driven by the ownership of both relegation-threatened clubs, the Leeds chairman and controlling shareholder Andrea Radrizzani and Burnley chairman Alan Pace. Both Burnley and Leeds want the Premier League to appoint an independent commission to investigate Everton’s finances. There is likely at some point soon to be public pressure to explain how Everton passed the P&S regulations.