NOTTINGHAM FOREST have been hit with a four-point deduction for breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules, according to reports.
The sanction sees the club plummet into the relegation zone.
Forest were 17th with 25 points. But they will to fall to 18th on 21 points, one behind 17th-placed Luton, claim The Guardian.
They were charged in January for breaching the Premier League’s PSR rules in the 2022/23 campaign.
Under the Financial Fair Play regulations, clubs cannot lose more than £105million over three seasons.
This year is Forest’s second in the top-flight but they have not avoided punishment after being measured against both Prem and EFL regulations.
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While in the Championship, clubs are not allowed to lose more than £61m-a-year and they were £34.5m above the threshold.
Since their promotion via the 2022 play-off final, they have splashed the cash on 42 players.
They have broke their transfer record three times for Taiwo Awoniyi, Morgan Gibbs-White and Ibrahim Sangare.
In their case against the independent panel, Forest admitted the breach but have argued they only broke the rules for two months while filing their accounts between June 30 and September 1.
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They had only received the first instalment of the £47.5m they are owed by Tottenham from the sale of Brennan Johnson in a deal completed on September 1.
Forest could’ve sold him to Brentford for £30m and complied with the regulations but held out for Spurs’ bigger bid.
Forest have two weeks to launch an appeal.
However, the Premier League have pencilled in May 24 as a backstop date for any appeal, which is after the season ends on May 19.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are the second team to be slapped by a deduction after Everton were docked six points.
They originally had ten taken from their total but it was reduced after a successful appeal.
Everton could be hit with a second deduction for another PSR breach.
The Toffees’ hearing must be completed by April 8, allowing any further points deduction to be imposed before the end of the season – although they would surely appeal any extra punishment.
Forest’s 42 signings since promotion
2022/23:
- Morgan Gibbs-White
- Taiwo Awoniyi
- Danilo
- Neco Williams
- Emmanuel Dennis
- Orel Mangala
- Moussa Niakhate
- Giulian Biancone
- Lewis O’Brien
- Remo Freuler
- Omar Richards
- Jonjo Shelvey
- Renan Lodi
- Chris Wood
- Ui-jo Hwang
- Willy Boly
- Harry Toffolo
- Felipe
- Josh Bowler
- Brandon Aguilera
- Jesse Lingard
- Gustavo Scarpa
- Cheikhou Kouyate
- Andre Ayew
- Wayne Hennessey
- Adnan Kanuric
- Dean Henderson
- Loic Bade
- Keylor Navas
- Serge Aurier
2023/24:
- Ibrahim Sangare
- Anthony Elanga
- Andrew Omobamidele
- Murrilo
- Nicolas Dominguez
- Matt Turner
- Matz Sels
- Odysseas Vlachodimos
- Callum Hudson-Odoi
- Nuno Tavares
- Gio Reyna
- Ola Aina
- Andrey Santos
- Gonzalo Montiel
- Divock Origi
- Rodrigo Ribiero
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk