Burnley, Leicester City and Leeds United have reportedly expressed their intent to sue Everton following the confirmation of their 10-point deduction from the Premier League.
Everton have been charged for breaching the league's Profitability and Sustainability rules, going £19.5m over the limit that clubs are allowed to lose annually under the remit.
The severity of the punishment is an unprecedented one, and the largest ever handed out to a Premier League club, and it sinks the Toffees into the bottom three, level on points with bottom-placed Burnley.
However, given that Everton survived relegation narrowly during the timeframe when the breaches are said to have happened, the clubs that were relegated are reportedly planning to sue Everton over the loss of income, according to the Daily Mail.
Burnley were relegated in the 2021-22 campaign, and were followed by Leeds and Leicester, who were condemned to the drop in May, with Everton edging away from danger in the final week of the season on both occasions.
Leeds and Leicester feel incensed that the decision was not fast-tracked to come into effect last season, therefore affecting the relegation battle at the time.
Burnley have joined them in the dispute as they were relegated on the final day of the 21-22 campaign, during which time, Everton were accused of having broken the PSR's.
© Reuters
The clubs claim that dropping out of the Premier League will cost them £100m each in terms of loss of income, and are all set to sue Everton for that amount - totalling to £300m.
The report states that senior figures from the three clubs held talks in the immediate aftermath of the announcement that Everton had been found guilty.
It is believed that the trio of clubs also wrote to the Premier League last month, voicing their displeasure at the case not being dealt with earlier, and have reiterated their thoughts following today's decision.
Everton released a strongly-worded statement immediately after the penalty was imposed, stating that they are "shocked and disappointed" by the ruling, calling it a "wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction."
The statement revealed that Everton are already in the process of appealing the decision to the Premier League, and their case will be heard by an Appeals Board.
Further on in the statement, the club claimed that they were "open and transparent" in the information that they provided, claiming the penalty is not a "fair or reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted."
Everton return to action following the international break with a home encounter against Manchester United, and fan groups linked with the club have already made their intentions clear that there will be a loud and prevalent backlash to the decision.
Andrew Delaney
