Fans should strap themselves in for a summer of turbulence
CITY NEWS TITLE GLORY TO QUICKLY FADE AS CITY FACE FINANCIAL WOES
LEICESTER City have now had a week to bask in the glory of their Championship title win. But how much longer the sun will shine remains to be seen.
It must be said, City are in a far more positive position than had they failed to earn promotion, and the excitement of seeing this team take on the Premier League’s heavyweights will never be totally extinguished.
But otherwise, it could be a summer of turmoil.
For a start, City could fall to the bottom of the table before they’ve even kicked a ball with a decision on their Premier League charges expected this summer, and with a points deduction a potential sanction.
City were bullish in their reply to the charges, one for an alleged breach of Profit and Sustainability regulations (PSR) and the other for a failure to submit their audited accounts, and they will make their case to the independent commission.
However, every team to have so far been charged has been found to have been in breach of the rules and has been handed a points deduction as a result.
There is no time frame for when the hearing will be complete, but it would be a surprise if a decision had not been made before the new Premier
League campaign begins on August 17.
From charge to decision, Nottingham Forest’s case was settled in nine weeks, with their unsuccessful appeal taking a further seven weeks to conclude.
With City charged back in March, a similar time frame would see the case done and dusted by August, even if they were to appeal.
And that is far from City’s only financial concern.
They are also at risk of breaching PSR for this season too, and to avoid doing so, the club know their best bet is selling players before the close of the accounts in June.
It would be a particularly big hit to the positivity in the fanbase if any of the key players were to be sold, but there is no guarantee they will stick around.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is the big concern.
Not only is there likely to be Premier League interest in him after Brighton sniffed around in January, but his sale would be the biggest boost for City, as his fee would go into the books as pure profit.
If City are found in breach of the EFL’s PSR, there is no precedent for them receiving a points deduction while playing in the Premier League.
However, they could be hit with a fine, which would then damage their chances of complying with regulations in future three-year cycles. With City needing to be careful, they may also be limited on how much they can do in the transfer window.
While their current squad is one that should be able to compete in the top flight, it feels like it would require strengthening if it is to have enough quality to overcome a potential points deduction and stay in the division.
PSR is catching up with a lot of mid-sized clubs and City may not be the only side who have to tread carefully and make smart deals.
The arrival of Abdul Fatawu on a permanent switch from Sporting
Lisbon is expected, but it is difficult to say at the moment how many new faces will come in beyond that.
The final issue for City to deal with is their manager’s unhappiness with all of the above.
Enzo Maresca has expressed his irritation over the lack of communication on City’s attempts to comply with financial fair play and he is still ruing the lack of business in the January transfer window, particularly the breakdown of the move for Inter Milan’s Stefano Sensi.
Already, people close to him are suggesting he may consider his options amid interest from overseas clubs should he not get what he wants.
But in some cases, City may have their hands tied.
Maresca is desperate for City to avoid becoming a yo-yo club and wants the squad improved.
It’s important any key players sold for financial reasons are replaced, he says. Can City deliver that to keep him happy? Maybe not.
There may not be any competitive matches for more than three months, but it doesn’t feel like the drama is going to stop at City in the interim.
Strap in for a turbulent summer.