EFL slap embargo on Derby again

DERBY County are reportedly one of 10 Championship clubs to have been placed under a transfer embargo by the EFL.

According to the Daily Mail, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Cardiff City, Coventry City, Huddersfield Town, Luton Town, Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke City were all hit with a registration ban at the end of last month, along with the Rams.

The report goes on to say that Huddersfield have now been removed from that list, with Stoke expected to follow soon.

Coventry confirmed on Tuesday morning that they had been placed under a transfer embargo and criticised the decision.

The Sky Blues said in a statement: “The Government, due to the Coronavirus crisis, allowed companies to extend the deadline to file company accounts by three months and Coventry City chose to take up this option.

“Unfortunately, the EFL has decided not to replicate this extension within their own rules, which surprises us as they have amended a number of other rules due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

“Coventry City will be filing their accounts as required by Companies House within three months of the end of February, at which point the transfer embargo from the EFL will be removed.”

Coventry chief executive Dave Boddy added: “It’s disappointing the EFL have chosen to do this.

“The Government has allowed companies to extend the deadline to file accounts and we chose to do this, extending from the end of February to the end of May.

“It’s ridiculous that the EFL’S regulations on this do not replicate this approach the Government has taken, especially when they have amended other rules of their during the pandemic.”

Derby boss Wayne Rooney confirmed that the Rams were working under a transfer embargo earlier this year, during the January transfer window.

Rooney said it was a result of some of the players not being paid their wages for December while the protracted takeover of the club had yet to be completed.

That embargo was eventually lifted once the matter was resolved, allowing Derby to add to their squad before the transfer deadline passed.

Derby County declined to comment on the latest reports.

The EFL have been approached for comment.