Sheffield United respond after being hit with shock EFL sanction over transfer payments

Sheffield United have been hit with a points deduction for their next season in the English Football League, a delayed sanction over their defaulted player transfer payments before promotion to the Premier League. The punishment related to the 2022/23 season when the Blades were hit with a transfer embargo over non-payment of transfer funds.

The EFL have confirmed that an independent disciplinary commission has decided that the Blades will be deducted two points at the start of the next season that they are in the Championship, with a further two points suspended. That punishment will be activated if United default on any transfer or compensation payment due to another club for more than five business days. United have also agreed to pay the EFL’s costs of £310,455.

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An EFL statement said that the defaults “cumulatively were in excess of 550 days.” United, in a statement of their own, described themselves as “disappointed” to have the sanction imposed, and elected to reach an agreement with the EFL rather than risk a bigger points deduction or further embargoes.

“It has been agreed that the Blades will commence the next season in which the club is subject to the EFL’s jurisdiction with a two-point deduction,” United’s statement read. “The club’s position in the proceedings was that the relevant sums relied on by the EFL had been paid in full, on several occasions only days after they were initially due, or renegotiated with new future payment dates adhered to before the club was notified of the referral.

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“The club has co-operated with the EFL to reach a negotiated settlement on the issues in question. While disappointed to have the deduction imposed upon the return to the EFL and highlighting that awaiting overdue monies from several other clubs affected Sheffield United’s financial situation, the club took the view that it was better to reach an agreement which minimised the risks of a higher deduction or further transfer embargoes being imposed, and being distracted by lengthy and costly legal proceedings.

“The club is now in a position to close this matter and concentrate on the future.”