Everton will still be digesting the news that they have been hit with 10-point deduction after being found guilty of breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.
The punishment is unprecedented in English top-flight football and leaves the Blues 19th in the table on four points. The club has stated that it plans to appeal against the decision, with the severity of the punishment sparking plenty of debate across the footballing world.
And it comes against the backdrop of a proposed takeover of the Blues by the Miami-based 777 Partners.
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Keep tabs on the latest news, views and Everton FC transfer rumours below.
Truth about size of Man City's 115 charges
Everton's points deduction has resulted in the case against Manchester City being brought into sharper focus.
In February, the Premier League charged City with 115 alleged breaches, related to the club's finances. Given the Toffees were docked an unprecedented 10 points for their financial issues, plenty of comparisons have been drawn by football fans.
Everton winger Sorensen to retire form football
Everton forward Nicoline Sørensen is set to retire from football, aged 26.
In a statement released shortly after the team's draw with Bristol City, an Everton spokesperson revealed Sørensen will leave the club next month to "pursue other interests". The Denmark international has since taken to social media to explain the reasonis behind her decision.
Peter Reid on Everton points deduction
Everton legend Peter Reid has shared his thoughts on the club's point deduction.
Reid told the Daily Mail that he was with club staff when the decision was announced, earlier this week, and has backed the club to adopt a siege mentality, as a result:
“I can't wait for when Manchester United come to Goodison Park. I'd wager that the fans will pack the streets around the stadium before kick-off to make sure that desire to fight transcends to the players on the pitch. It could evoke the spirit of Bayern Munich in 1985 all over again.
“Whoever faces Everton between now and the end of the season is going to be in for a very difficult day."
On-pitch issues that led to Everton point deduction
A number of on-field problems ultimately contributed to Everton's point deduction.
The ruling from the independent comission listed a number if factors that the Blues believed served as mitigation for the club's finances. Both the comission and the Premier League disagreed, leading Sean Dyche's side to drop into the relegation zone, but here's a closer look at how those issues led the club to be docked 10 points.
Onana injury latest
Andre Onana has returned to Manchester United after being forced to withdraw from international duty due to an injury.
The 27-year-old was substituted in the 81st minute of Cameroon's 3-0 victory over Mauritius in Douala, having been injured making a save.
And now according to BBC Sport, the goalkeeper has pulled out of Cameroon's squad for Tuesday's match against Libya.
Everton welcome Manchester United to Goodison Park a week today.
Pickford post-England conversation speaks volumes
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford declined interview requests following England’s win against Malta on Friday night.
Just hours before Gareth Southgate’s side claimed a 2-0 victory at Wembley, it was confirmed that Everton had been docked 10 points, the heaviest punishment ever handed to a top-flight team, for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
The punishment, which means that Sean Dyche’s side dropped immediately from 14th in the table to second-bottom, with only goal difference separating them from Burnley in 20th, was imposed by an independent commission after a disciplinary hearing took place last month.
Everton said they were 'shocked and disappointed' by the punishment after an investigation by an independent commission and would appeal. The appeal will be concluded before the end of the season.
And when asked to stop by members of the media in the Wembley mixed zone on Friday night, Pickford declined and said: “I wonder what you want to talk about?"
Calvert-Lewin contract talks claims
Everton have reportedly placed contract talks for striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin on hold following their 10-point deduction.
That's according to Football Insider, who are reporting that the Blues don’t want to rush into a decision on sanctioning a big-money new deal while their Premier League status remains unclear.
The report also claims that Everton expect their 10-point deduction to be significantly reduced after their appeal.
Everton takeover 'could collapse'
Everton are reportedly facing the prospect of seeing American investment firm 777 Partners walk away from a £500million deal to buy the club.
That's according to the Mirror, who are reporting that 777 Partners included a series of clauses in their deal with Moshiri that would see the price to buy Everton slashed if the Premier League's case against the club was upheld.
However, as the club are now reportedly facing the prospect of having to pay three of the clubs relegated in the last three seasons £100m each in compensation, the Mirror claims it is unlikely that 777 Partners will agree to foot that bill given the club already has debts in excess of £500m.
Jordan sends 10-point penalty message
Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has urged Everton to take their 10-points deduction on the chin as he believes the club will stay up this season.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, he said: "Everton's 10-point penalty is harsh, ridiculously harsh.
"They spent £20million over and above the allowable amount and have been hammered with this deduction - so it doesn't feel like the punishment fits the crime.
"It seems to me to be predicated upon sending a message.
"The Premier League wanted to show that they've got control of their own destiny and the powers and ideals behind the independent regulator that is coming down the track perhaps don't need to be as all-consuming as some would have you believe they are going to be."
Before he added: "The challenge for Everton now is what to do next. Do they really want this delayed and hanging over them when the best course of action might be to take their medicine?
"Despite the penalty, they are still only two points adrift of safety and given the struggles of the promoted clubs, it might be an idea to take this one on the chin as I don't see Everton going down.
"I also can't see those clubs lining up to sue Everton getting very far."
Everton hit with 10 point deduction but will appeal Premier League punishment
Everton will be appealing their 10-point deduction after being found guilty of a Premier League financial breach.
The ECHO understands that Everton believe a sporting sanction for what the club considers an accountancy issue is wholly inappropriate - and they have not been supported for being open and transparent throughout the process.
On March 24 it was disclosed that Everton had been referred to an independent commission by the Premier League over an alleged breach of profit and sustainability rules but the club denied any wrongdoing and said they were “prepared to robustly defend” their position.
In their latest financial accounts published on March 31, Everton posted a deficit of £44.7million in 2021/22, taking their total losses over the past five years to £430m. Clubs are permitted to lose £105m over a three-year period.
However, Premier League teams were allowed leeway on Covid-related losses when the two seasons played behind closed doors were merged as one, and Everton suggested the impact of the pandemic played a major part. Their total losses include about £170m attributed to Covid, when the club said they could not bring in matchday revenue and there was an “inability to generate the level of transfer fees which could reasonably have been expected pre-pandemic.”
The only previous occurrence of a Premier League club being deducted points for a non-football matter came in 2009/10 when Portsmouth were docked nine points for entering administration during the season. The Hampshire outfit would have finished bottom of the table anyway that season, regardless of the sanction.
Conor Coady explains how Everton dressing room will react to Premier League points deduction
Conor Coady has backed his former Everton team-mates to block out the nose of their Premier League points deduction and continue their impressive start to the season when Manchester United visit Goodison Park next weekend.
On Friday, the Blues became the first team in Premier League history to be docked 10 points after an Independent Commission concluded that they had breached the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules for a three-year period ending in 2022.
The deduction sees Everton's recent wins over Crystal Palace, West Ham and Brentford count for little as they drop to 19th place in the Premier League table. Their revised tally of four points sees them two points adrift of 17th-place Luton Town.
Although Goodison Park chiefs plan to appeal against the verdict that was described as "wholly disproportionate and unjust" in a club statement on Friday lunchtime, former Everton loanee Coady has backed his former team-mates to rally together and continue their strong start to the Premier League season.
"I think probably like any other player would, you can't affect it as footballers," responded Coady when asked by Sky Sports how the Blues' dressing room would be dealing with Friday's sanction. "They'll be saying the same thing. I'm still good mates with a few of the boys in the dressing room there and I think they'll be saying the same thing.
"They've had a good start to the season, they are playing well and I don't think it will affect them as a team and I'm sure they'll be looking at it now to kick on with the game after the international break."
Read the full story, here.
