The EFL has cleared the financially stricken Sheffield Wednesday to play their opening match of the season away to Leicester City on Sunday in the expectation that the players will be paid before the weekend.
A payment of £710,000 from the EFL to all Championship clubs this month, plus solidarity money from the Premier League, should allow Wednesday to start the season, but there are still huge concerns over the rest of the campaign.
The squad’s wages for July were delayed for the third successive month, triggering more transfer restrictions for the club and leading to the players taking a stand and not playing a pre-season friendly against Burnley.
Wednesday’s owner, the Thai businessman Dejphon Chansiri, who is blamed by supporters and local politicians for the club’s plight, is facing demands from the EFL to either prove he has money available to keep the club going or to sell it.
Chansiri purchased the club in January 2015
MARTIN RICKETT/PA
An EFL statement read: “The League wants to see a strong, stable and competitive Sheffield Wednesday, and for that to happen we are clear that the current owner needs either to fund the club to meet its obligations or make good on his commitment to sell to a well-funded party, for fair market value — ending the current uncertainty and impasse.
“We are in advanced discussions with Mr Chansiri’s legal advisers on formalising a process around divestment of his shareholding in the club.
“The EFL Board met on Wednesday morning to receive a comprehensive update and, following recent speculation, the League can confirm that there are no restrictions on the club starting the season on Sunday as planned.”
The EFL added that its independent Club Financial Reporting Unit has been in daily dialogue with Wednesday over recent weeks and is “actively looking at available options in respect of the club’s playing squad, as a means of helping to ensure that it can fulfil its fixtures, while still respecting the restrictions imposed through the current registration embargo and fee restriction”.
Chansiri could be disqualified as an owner if misconduct charges against him are proved, which would lead to him being given a deadline to sell the club.
In 2019 Bolton Wanderers were forced to cancel fixtures after their players were not paid. The club eventually went into administration and the EFL said it would do all it can to prevent a similar situation occurring.
Late payments by Wednesday mean the club are under a transfer embargo for signing new players, and cannot pay a fee for any player until the end of the January 2027 winter transfer window.
Fans have been asked by the EFL to ensure that any protests do not disrupt the team’s ability to fulfil fixtures.
Meanwhile, the former Crystal Palace owner John Textor has said he is “definitely interested” in buying Wednesday, but has not held talks with Chansiri. Textor also owns the French club Lyon, who have had financial problems of their own in recent months and narrowly avoided being relegated to the French second division last month for rule breaches.