According to Philippe Auclair, Everton is facing “extinction” and several members of the club have expressed reservations about the planned independent hearing on profit and sustainability.
According to the journalist, Toffees officials “privately acknowledge that it will be very difficult to convince the independent auditors charged with inspecting their finances that it is the impact of COVID” after losses totaling €450 million [£389 million] over three years.
Despite a positive net spend in the transfer market this year, the current fiscal year is said to have not “cleaned up” the “nightmarish” accounts as the club continues to accumulate debt in “extreme proportions,” with some rival clubs said to be “furious” at the delayed hearing – to be heard on 25 October [BBC Sport] – following the Premier League referral in March.
According to Auclair, Everton already has debts totaling €160 million [£137 million], on which they are paying interest of approximately €60,000 per week [£51,400], as well as a €180 million [£154 million] loan that would have to be completely renegotiated in the event of relegation.
In addition, he attributed the “staggering” cost of a new stadium project that “makes no sense,” which has risen to almost €800m [£686m] from a beginning number of €350m [£300m], to the existential danger.
“The reality is that Everton might as well have built its stadium on quicksand,” he writes, “and that, far from prospering, Everton, forced to get rid of its best players, forced to mortgage its future income, a sad circus of white elephants that we no longer even dare to parade, today contemplates its own disappearance.”
Galling
Everton has indicated publicly that they intend to “robustly” defend their stance in the face of the profit and sustainability referral, and that they have not committed any violations due to permissible expenditures.
If the confidence behind closed doors differs from that, it is definitely a concerning prospect for fans, with the prospect of point deductions on the table if proven to be in violation.
After narrowly avoiding relegation in the previous two seasons and starting the new season with one point from a possible 12, such a punishment might seal their fate a third time.
While Farhad Moshiri is widely rumored to be in advanced conversations with 777 Partners about selling the club, reservations have been raised about the probability of that happening soon.
While there have been some more hopeful verdicts on the club’s immediate future and stadium construction [the esk, 12 September], Auclair has been absolutely critical on the club’s trajectory.
If his ominous forecast is correct, the stakes at Goodison could not be greater, and with the hearing coming up next month, the situation might become much more dire depending on the outcome.
Leave a Reply