EVERTON face further financial chaos if five rival clubs have taken up their right to sue — and the Toffees could be hit for more than £100million.
SunSport understands that at least one of Burnley, Leeds, Leicester, Nottingham Forest and Southampton have signalled their intention to claim.
Sean Dyche’s Goodison outfit earned a partial win when their ten-point punishment for breaching Prem Profitability and Sustainability Rules was slashed to six on appeal.
But the initial November verdict came alongside a ruling by independent commission chairman David Phillips QC that rival clubs could demand compensation.
He gave all five outfits 28 days from the Nov 17 publication of the findings to register their interest in making a claim.
While the clubs approached have declined to make any comment, at least one planned to take legal action.
The confirmation in the appeal findings that Everton DID gain a “sporting advantage” by their PSR breach will add weight to any action.
Burnley and Leicester are thought to have the strongest cases as they can argue they were direct casualties of Everton’s misconduct.
Clarets went down in 18th place in 2021-22, the season Everton breached the three-term limit of £105m in “allowable losses”.
And the Foxes took the same position last campaign, when the Goodison club was initially charged.
Both could argue they missed around £50m up front — the difference between the minimum Prem TV money and the parachute payment for relegation.
They may also seek to include lost revenue from gate money and sponsorship plus the cost of ‘forced sales’ of players at knockdown prices.
That list might include winger Harvey Barnes, who could have commanded more than the £38m Newcastle paid relegated Leicester last July.
Leeds’ potential claim is likely to be just £3.7m — the difference in prize money between 18th and 19th — as they would have gone down regardless.
Saints, who would have come bottom in any event, and Forest — who could open a floodgate for claims against themselves after being charged with a PSR breach in 2022-23 — are seen as less likely to have claimed.