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Southampton Football Club is reportedly facing the risk of several players ending their contracts and leaving as free agents this summer, following the club’s expulsion from the Championship play-offs and a four-point deduction imposed for the upcoming season.

The harsh penalties were handed down after Southampton admitted to three separate instances of spying on rival teams’ training sessions during the current campaign.

This decision effectively eliminates Southampton’s hopes of earning promotion to the Premier League through Saturday’s play-off final — a match with an estimated financial value of at least £200 million.

The ruling could allow players to contend that the club’s misconduct deprived them of the chance to play at a higher level and earn greater financial rewards. Under FIFA’s regulations, players are entitled to unilaterally terminate their contracts if “just cause” can be demonstrated.

Geoff Cunningham, former head of legal at the EFL and currently a sports partner at the national law firm Clarion, offered his perspective on the situation.

Tonda Eckert’s side has been officially removed from the play-offs.

Speaking to the Press Association, Cunningham said: “In essence, the club has acted in bad faith and breached the league’s rules, directly affecting the players’ ability to maximise their contractual earnings. On the surface, this represents a potential breach of contract.”

Cunningham further noted the vulnerable position the club now occupies. “Southampton must be extremely cautious and strongly defend against any claim suggesting that this breach is serious enough for a player to terminate their contract and walk away as a free agent during the summer transfer window.”

While conceding that the punishment might initially appear “incredibly severe,” Cunningham stressed that the full context of Southampton’s admitted wrongdoing would become clearer when the independent commission’s written explanation is published.

He also pointed out that the high stakes of the play-offs were “undoubtedly relevant” to the commission’s judgment.

“I believe this case is more about the deliberate, calculated attempt to secretly observe another team’s training session — behaviour that is completely unacceptable,” he stated.

Expanding on the commission’s reasoning, Cunningham added: “If you are sitting on that panel, you have to consider intent. The intent here was not innocent — it was a conscious decision to break the rules in an attempt to gain even a minor advantage over an opponent.”

Cunningham praised the EFL for its efficient handling of the matter, noting that the charges were only filed on 8 May.

“The league deserves credit for how quickly it brought this issue to a hearing and delivered a verdict. Whether people agree with the decision or not is another matter,” he said.

He continued: “The EFL has investigated, charged, and held hearings, including an appeal, all before the play-off final. Achieving that in such a short period reflects the hard work and dedication of their legal team.”

“The league has done an outstanding job for the integrity of the competition. Its only role was to refer the case and seek appropriate sanctions from the disciplinary commission,” Cunningham concluded.