Keith Wyness, former Everton CEO, has advised Leeds United that their case against the Toffees will not be successful.
Leeds are in the Championship due to no fault of their own, with poor transfer expenditure resulting in a 19th-place finish in 22/23.
Everton, who squeaked by on the penultimate day after two consecutive relegation scraps, did not join them in the EFL, but the Premier League has since caught up with them, and Leeds wants justice as well, in the form of a £100 million-plus court lawsuit.
Keith Wyness: Leeds’ claim against Everton is not strong enough.
Leeds think they have grounds to fight Everton for their punishment of a points deduction for this season, which would have had a huge impact on the league last season if settled more quickly.
Since then, the Toffees have received a points deduction (now six points), as well as additional charge alongside Nottingham Forest, the two sides who ended above the 22/23 relegation zone.
However, former Everton CEO Keith Wyness believes Leeds do not have a leg to stand on. He told Football Insider:
“I’d strongly beg those three teams to reconsider because they need to prove a concrete link to the damage Everton has caused them.
“Can Leeds claim that not having a fantastic defensive four, a good midfield performance, or missing a few opportunities was not the reason they dropped points in specific games?
“So it’s difficult to establish the precise cause and damage Everton has done to them.
“So I believe those cases are flimsy, and continuing down this judicial path will set an unfavorable precedent for the game.
“We’re now worried about getting too much legal interference and worried about who’s got the best KC rather than who your centre-forward is.”
Fresh Premier League developments actually give Leeds greater reason for a lawsuit.
Wyness is correct in that Leeds’ failure to establish a strong Premier League squad, along with poor purchases, contributed to our 19th-place finish.
However, the sporting disadvantage Leeds faced as a result of Everton and Forest’s spending beyond their means is debatable; if we could have spent an extra £30 million to tip us into the red, knowing that a six-point deduction two years later was the only punishment, we would have done so too.
What makes this situation even more intriguing is that Leicester City is now reportedly operating at a considerable loss that exceeds the Premier League’s threshold, according to talkSPORT.
Now, the three teams that ended ahead of Leeds were spending beyond their means in an attempt to escape relegation, whilst Leeds appeared to stay inside the limitations.
Instead, we’ve been punished with relegation, while the other two Premier League teams will receive another year of Premier League cash to bloat their books.
Whether or not that relationship is sufficient for Angus Kinnear and co. to file a proper legal assault on the Toffees and others remains to be seen, but there is legitimate cause for concern.
