Derby County and Birmingham City have both spent heavily in recent seasons.
According to a report in the Telegraph, Derby County are confident of avoiding a similar punishment dealt to league rivals Birmingham City after they fell foul of Financial Fair Play rules.
The report states that the Blues spent some £49 million over three seasons, well over the accepted £39 million allowed over a three-year period, and as such they have been handed a nine-point deduction.
But Birmingham are not the only club to heave spent heavily in recent seasons. Following Mel Morris’s arrival as Derby County owner back in 2015, the Rams have pushed hard for promotion to the Premier League.
The East Midlands club have broken their transfer record three times during Morris’s tenure. First on Jacob Butterfield, then Bradley Johnson and finally Matej Vydra for a reported £8 million fee.
The Telegraph ran a separate report soon after Birmingham’s punishment stating that Derby are also in danger of being caught out. But it is now understood they have been operating within the financial limits despite losing up to around £2 million a month.
What may save the Rams has been their sales over the past few seasons. Players such as Will Hughes, Jeff Hendrick, Tom Ince and Vydra have all been sold on, with the latter said to have fetched £11 million.
Derby’s financial situation could become a moot point this summer, as Frank Lampard’s side are still in with a shout of promotion from the Championship come the end of the season.
The Rams are currently just two points below the play-offs with a game in hand, and they will be looking to put pressure on those above them as they take on struggling Rotherham United this weekend.
Birmingham’s punishment meanwhile sees the Blues drop down to 17th in the table, only five points above the drop zone.
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