Forest at risk of FA charge over spending rules – report
Nottingham Forest could be at risk of being hit by an FA sanction over breaching rules designed to keep Premier League transfer spending in check.
The Times has quoted football finance expert Kieran Maguire, who believes Forest’s huge overhaul over their squad as they were promoted to the Premier League in the summer of 2022 could mean that the club will land itself in trouble.
Maguire says Forest are the most at-risk club and could be hit with any charges when they are announced on January 14. If this happens, the City Ground club will have two weeks to respond and a hearing by independent commission will be held by April 8.
Maguire told The Times: ““Nottingham Forest were very much at the limit of their Financial Fair Play allowance when they were promoted to the Premier League and that investment in new players continued in their first season, when they signed players on high wages. If you are looking for clubs close to the limit then they would be at the top in my opinion.”
Under the rules, Premier League Clubs can make a rolling loss of £105m over three seasons. The Times report says that Forest would be limited to losses of £61m – £13m for 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons when they were in Sky Bet Championship, plus £35m for last season.
The Times report added: “Forest made a loss of £45.6m in 2021-22, when they were promoted, and £15.5m the season before. In both years, the club spent double the amount on wages that they earned in turnover. Although promotion to the Premier League will have boosted Forest’s income by about £90m, the club spent heavily on transfers after promotion and their wage bill will have rocketed too.”
Everton are currently appealing a 10-point Premier League reduction, which has left them fighting relegation from the Premier League.
Forest have won their last two matches under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo to climb away from relegation trouble.
