An independent panel has handed Everton a two-point deduction on Monday for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability (PSR) rules, the second time the club has faced a points deduction this season.
Premier League regulations stipulate that a club can lose no more than £105 million ($132.54m) over a three-year period.
“Over a three-day hearing last month, the independent Commission heard evidence and arguments from the club in respect of a range of potential mitigating factors for its admitted breach of £16.6million, including the impact of its two successive PSR charges,” the Premier League said in a statement.
“Having done so, the Commission determined the appropriate sanction to be a two-point deduction, taking effect immediately.”
The points deduction means Everton have dropped one place in the Premier League table to 16th, two points above the relegation zone.
Everton announced in a statement that they plan to appeal the decision and have begun preparations to do so, adding that the club is “extremely concerned by the inconsistency of different commissions in respect of points deductions applied.”
Everton have already faced a points deduction this season for a previous PSR breach. The club were initially docked 10-points in November by an independent commission, before having the penalty reduced to six points on appeal.
The Merseyside club were charged for a second breach in January alongside fellow relegation battlers Nottingham Forest, who were deducted four points in March as punishment.