Nottingham Forest are unlikely to be challenged on any of their last-ditch sales before the 30th June accounting deadline if they can prove the transfers were “at arm’s length”.
That is the view of finance expert Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider the only risk for Forest is if the Premier League asks for the paperwork to be submitted and it doesn’t match their story regarding the deals.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are believed to have been close to their allowable losses limit again after being handed a points deduction last season, with the club needing to make a substantial profit before 30 June.
It has emerged the Premier League wrote to all 20 top-flight clubs to remind them of the “good faith” regulations regarding transfers before the deadline.
Forest were one of the clubs involved in the late deals after Odysseas Vlachodimos made the £12.5million switch to Newcastle United, while Elliot Anderson moved in the opposite direction for £35million.
Orel Mangala completed his £15million move to Lyon, with Moussa Niakhate also leaving the City Ground for the French club in a £27million deal.
Nottingham Forest last-ditch deals unlikely to be challenged
Although Borson admits Forest’s deals do look like “big” prices, he suggested the Premier League are unlikely to challenge any of their transfers.
“On all of these deals, you have to look at it as to whether there is any indication that they weren’t at arm’s length,” Borson told Football Insider.
To the extent that they are arm’s length deals, there is no way they are going to get challenged.
“The issue that some of the clubs might have is if it comes to light that there is some kind of odd situation where these players have moved and they are connected deals.
“If the Premier League asks to look at the paperwork, that’s really where the risk is because the paperwork might not match their story.
“This was the problem they had with Brennan Johnson. When they went to the commission, the story that they tried to argue didn’t match when they looked at the emails and everything else.
“But I think the Nottingham Forest transactions do look like big prices. Niakhate going to Lyon, it’s a record fee for them.
“Lyon don’t appear to have huge resources, yet the’ve already bought Benrahma and Mangala. It’s slightly confusing, but the numbers are publicly available.
“I think Forest have got some scrutiny on some of those deals, but as long as they can show they are arm’s length, there is no challenge coming.”
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