‘I’m worried’: Leicester City chief provides concerning update as point deduction looms over Portsmouth rivals
Leicester City sit eight points above Pompey in the Championship standings at present, but could be under threat from a points deduction this season.
Leicester City owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha has expressed his concern over his club’s current financial problems.
Pompey’s Championship rivals are facing three charges including: A breach of the PSR limit during the 2023-24 season, failing to file accounts with the Premier League before the deadline and not providing full, complete and prompt assistance to the Premier League.
That outcome is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, with Leicester potentially slammed with a huge points deduction during the second half of the campaign.
Should they be found guilty, the club is likely to be hit with a nine-point deduction for each charge, which could total as many as 27 points.
This would see the Foxes plummet down the Championship table and would drop them below John Mousinho’s men and into the relegation positions.
And in his first interview with British media in 10 years, Srivaddhanaprabha explained his side’s current financial issues amid their imminent PSR verdict.
Leicester chief provides financial update as point-deduction looms
He told Sky Sports: ‘I’m worried too. First of all, every year we try to comply with the PSR, every year. The only year we don’t know what it is, is the year we were relegated.
‘When you don’t plan to get relegated, it hits you hard.
‘The rest of the seasons we have complied and I’m sure that a club like Leicester, everybody loved the story of what we were doing. But when we are trying to comply, we’re trying very hard.
‘We have to comply first to the PSR (before bringing in new signings this month), so the money to spend has to be compromised.
‘Sadly that is not easy and of course I’m sure you’ve seen the feedback of the world of geopolitics and tourists in Thailand so that effects for sure.
‘There’s nothing to hide but 100 per cent I commit to support the club. I do it even now, it’s not a problem but it’s more on how we are going to spend, how we are going to sell players to comply with PSR.’
Leicester in search of new CEO
It’s been an underwhelming return to the Championship following their Premier League relegation last term.
This has seen the Foxes pick up 38 points from their opening 28 games and sacked Marti Cifuentes after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Oxford United.
Srivaddhanaprabha, who also owns Thai duty-free company King Power, revealed the crucial work that needs to go on behind the scenes - including the appointment of a new CEO and sporting director.
He added: ‘Going forward we need to find a new CEO, which I’m trying, a new commercial director should be appointed soon and a sporting director.
‘Those three main positions are how we’re going to do it. After that I need to put myself in a lot more.’
Pompey sit eight points behind Leicester at present, who make the trip to Fratton Park in April.
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