Gary Lineker slams 'ridiculous' Premier League financial rules for stopping promoted teams competing - but admits Leicester must 'own' their mistakes amid threat of a points deduction next season

Leicester’s promotion to the Premier League for the 2024-25 season has brought a mix of elation and anxiety. Amid their celebrations, the club faces significant financial challenges that could lead to a points deduction for reportedly breaching the competition's Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

In March, the club was placed under a registration embargo following a breach of PSR. This situation was exacerbated by the announcement in April that the club had incurred an £89.7 million loss for the 2022-23 season and hence promotion to the Premier League was vital not only for sporting success but also to avoid a deeper financial crisis. A club must not book losses of more than £105m ($132m) over three years - whereas the Championship winners have registered a total loss of £215m ($270.2m).

Lineker, a former Leicester City player and well-respected football pundit, spoke candidly about the club’s situation at the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Awards.

“It was a brilliant season. Leicester did what they had to do, they got up, they won the league,” Lineker told William Hill.

“But obviously, everyone at the club is anxious about the financial side of things and whether they’ll have to sell players. They might even get a points deduction. Leicester are suffering for their own success because they won the league and finished fifth in two consecutive seasons. In order to keep in that position, they’ve fallen foul by having to pay enormous wages."

Lineker urged the club management to admit to any wrongdoing and added: "If they’ve made mistakes, they’ll have to own it – it’s a worry for all Leicester fans. But the important thing was to get up because even if you get the points deduction and you get relegated, you’ll still be in a position to get back up again. If they hadn’t have gone up this season, it would have been catastrophic."

Lineker also blasted the Premier League for its bizarre and stringent financial regulations for newly promoted teams and added: “It’s ridiculous, the situation with Premier League football that teams that get promoted can’t really compete. But if there’s not a points deduction and they don’t have to sell any players, I think Leicester can stay up.”

Leicester's situation is a stark reminder of the financial pressures clubs face in modern football. Success on the pitch often demands significant financial investment, which can lead to long-term sustainability issues if not managed properly.

The immediate concern for Leicester is whether they will face a points deduction or be forced to sell key players to manage their finances. However, the increased revenues from the Premier League, including broadcasting rights and sponsorship deals, might help them stabilize their balance sheet.