Leeds & Burnley: Everton should be told to keep data

Everton has been ordered by the Premier League not to remove any data or communications connected to their commercial, sponsorship, or transfer activities, as asked by Leeds and Burnley.

The two teams are intensifying their efforts to have Everton’s financial affairs reviewed independently.

Both have written to the league in regards to the Toffees’ most recent accounts, which show a loss of £120.9 million for the 2020-21 season.

Everton has lost £372 million in the last three years.

Everton claims that their Covid-19 losses over the past two seasons amount to £170 million, which can be subtracted from their total under league profitability and sustainability criteria.

Some Premier League clubs have been taken aback by that amount, which dwarfs clubs of comparable stature.

Newcastle announced Covid-19 losses of £40 million over the last two seasons earlier this week, while Aston Villa revealed losses of £56 million.

Leeds United and Burnley have written to the Premier League, threatening to take legal action for their failure to punish Everton for what they believe to be a serious breach of the regulations. Relegation would have significant financial consequences. #EFC #LUFC #BurnleyFC

— Swiss Ramble (@SwissRamble) May 21, 2022

Everton secured their Premier League membership with a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace on Thursday, ending their relegation struggle with Leeds and Burnley.

They are certain that they are following the rules and have been “officially cooperating” with the league.

Burnley and Leeds want an independent commission to look into Everton’s finances as soon as possible.

They are known to regard the situation as one of sports integrity, given the fact that the Toffees spent more money in the last transfer window, buying Dele Alli, Vitaliy Mykolenko, and Nathan Patterson in deals costing an initial £35 million and increasing to as much as £70 million.

Everton indicated in March that their actual losses over three years were around £170 million since Covid losses can be wiped off, with the sum calculated as an average over the previous two seasons.

Other expenses that can be excluded, include expenditure on the club’s new Bramley Moore Dock stadium, as well as the club’s academy and women’s team, according to the club.

Everton claimed in March that they are in a “solid financial position” following additional backing from owner Farhad Moshiri, who has invested more than £600 million in the club since purchasing shares in 2016.

However, after the Russian billionaire, Alisher Usmanov was sanctioned by the UK government and the European Union following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, they halted sponsorship ties with his enterprises.

Usmanov is Moshiri’s close business associate, and he also paid Everton £30 million for a naming rights option on their yet-to-be-built stadium, which is due to open in 2024.