West Brom alleged PSR breach leaves timeframe uncertainty as 'end of season' date considered

Albion are gearing up for a crunch clash at Preston as but uncertainty reigns over an EFL financial charge - amid reports interest in loans dating back to the Guochuan Lai era could be the cause of the alleged breach.

James Morrison’s side sit just one place and two points clear of the drop zone after Portsmouth earned a surprising win over Ipswich on Tuesday night. Fellow rivals Blackburn slipped to defeat.

The Baggies knew they needed to turn three successive draws during a seven-match unbeaten run into wins to rubber-stamp their status.

But this week’s development of an alleged profit and sustainability (PSR) breach for 2024/25 has hurled confusion over just how, and when, Albion could have clarity on their status.

It has been claimed the dispute between Albion and the EFL’s club financial reporting unit (CFRU) is related to interest payments on loans taken to help the club survive amid the takeover from Lai.

The club were hit by a compliance report from the CFRU, though the specific date that was received is unclear.

Albion’s stance, however, is clear - the Baggies believe they have complied with the strict financial regulations. PSR laws state clubs cannot lose more than £41.5million across a three-year rolling period. The cap was previously £39m before it was voted to be increased last year.

The club insist they did not slip the wrong side of those laws and will continue to co-operate with the CFRU to resolve the issue.

Albion had 14 days from the issued date of the report to respond. Part of any mitigation could be that Shilen Patel’s Bilkul takeover in February 2024 came midway through the reported three-year cycle and that Albion have worked closely with the EFL on business operations since.

But uncertainty looms with the timeframe thereafter, where a hearing must take place within 28 days of the initial report.

Rules state, if Albion are found guilty, sanctions must come the following season to the breach. The hearing timeframe could fall around Albion’s finale on May 2. The Baggies would have little or no time to respond on the field.

But the Championship runs until the play-off final on May 23.

The EFL AGM is typically held a week or so into June and it is also claimed fixture release day, on June 25, is from an administrative perspective seen as the end of the previous season.