English Championship leaders Burnley hit with transfer embargo

English Championship leaders Burnley have been hit with a transfer embargo, although the second-tier pacesetters insisted this was down to an administrative error that would be resolved soon.

The Clarets, 13 points clear at the top of the table and on course for an immediate return to the lucrative Premier League, blamed the late submission of their accounts after a change in auditor for the sanction imposed by the English Football league.

"We would like to share with our supporters the disappointing news that the EFL are placing the club under an immediate transfer embargo," said a Burnley statement issued Sunday.

The northwest club added: "We believe transparency in these matters is paramount and we want to explain why this has happened.

"In our continued efforts to improve and move forward Burnley Football Club we made the decision to change our auditors in November and the transition has taken longer than we anticipated.

"We can confirm that we have provided draft accounts and financial information to the EFL's club financial reporting unit and we continue to have regular dialogue with the unit to ensure we remain as open and as transparent and answer any questions the League may have.

"We believe the EFL will have no issue with the detail of our accounts other than their late submission and fully understand and support their position and efforts to sanction any club who fails to comply with any of their regulations.

"Both the club and our new auditors are confident this can be resolved swiftly and we hope our submission will be made next month, at which point the embargo will be lifted."

Only the top two at the end of the regular Championship season are guaranteed automatic promotion to the Premier League and Burnley will aim to have the embargo lifted before the transfer window reopens at the end of the campaign.

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