Double twist involving Leicester City’s points deduction looms | OneFootball

The Foxes are still yet to hear the outcome of their expected punishment for breaching financial regulations

A fresh double twist has emerged regarding Leicester City's expected points deduction after the club were charged for breaching financial regulations up to, and during, their 2023/24 Championship title-winning campaign.

It has widely been reported that the Foxes could learn the full extent of their punishment by the end of the month. However, in a fresh investigative report from the Daily Mail's Midlands correspondent, Tom Collomosse, the East Midlands side could see it hang in the balance for some time afterward.

The King Power Stadium has certainly not been a happy place to be for those of a Leicester persuasion of late, with the aforementioned Championship-winning season under Enzo Maresca ending with initial murmerings of financial discontent before the Italian swiftly moved on to Chelsea.

Since then, the Foxes have appointed three different managers but to extremely little success thus far, with Marti Cifuentes the current man in the hotseat, having eventually been appointed in June after being placed on gardening leave by his former employers, Queens Park Rangers, in the final week of last season amid strong exit talk.

The former Hoops boss had initially made an encouraging start to life in the Midlands, with Leicester amongst the early-season pace-setters alongside current runaway leaders and bitter rivals, Coventry City, and Middlesbrough despite a lack of investment as a result of said financial uncertainty.

However, as the season has progressed, the Foxes' form has taken a significant hit, winning just three of their past 14 Championship games, with last weekend's 3-2 home defeat to Sheffield United only increasing the pressure on Cifuentes' shoulders, as well as those at boardroom level.

As such, with the club currently positioned in 16th place on 24 points, just seven points above the relegation zone, much has been made as to what Leicester's short-term goals currently are, especially with a fresh double twist emerging when it comes to the points' deduction.

The aforementioned allegations of PSR breaches added an initial layer of uncertainty to Leicester's current situation, whilst it was reported for some time that there was very little indication as to when a hearing would take place.

The Foxes have been adjudged to have made losses in excess of more than £200m in the three-year period which ended in the year 2024, which is far north of what the regulations allow to be lost in said timeframe - £81m.

They have also been charged with failing to co-operate with governing bodies, as well as publishing their financial accounts before the required deadlines during this period.

As such, Cifuentes continues to look for the answers that will improve his side's performances on the pitch after a dire run of form whilst those at the top wait for the answer when it comes to a punishment, with Collomosse revealing that the hearing has recently taken place.

Whilst varying levels of points deductions have been reported or suggested by several journalists or pundits, the Mail also claim within the report that the loss is expected to be between the figure of six to nine points, which, at present, could see them fall into the relegation zone.

However, the most intriguing set of circumstances is that there is no indication that the saga will have reached a conclusion when the punishment is made public.

That's because the report goes on to state that Leicester are expected to appeal their punishment if they are hit with a deduction, and that the Premier League could also follow suit if the governing body is not satisfied with the outcome.

As a result, this is also believed to be hampering Leicester's activity in the upcoming market, with the club having no clear idea as to whether they can make a late run for the play-offs, or that they will be hoping to stave off relegation to League One for the first time since 2009.

Cifuentes has recently spoken about how his involvement as manager hasn't changed despite the uncertainty. However, all associated with Leicester will be hoping for a quick resolution to the saga, regardless of the final outcome.

Such developments have created a feeling of anger and apathy on matchdays, less than 10 years on from when the Foxes won the Premier League against the odds under Claudio Ranieri, further highlighting their rapid fall from grace.

Several high-profile players have also been the subject of immense criticism for their performances, although, bizarrely, the inconsistent nature of the Championship this term means Cifuentes' men are only a handful of points away from the play-offs, as unlikely as a top six finish seems right now.