Birmingham City are facing the prospect of another points deduction after being charged for breaching the English Football League’s financial regulations.

The Championship club may have to deal with the punishment for the second successive season for failing to adhere to the business plan imposed by the EFL last March, when they were docked nine points.

Birmingham were hit with a points deduction last season for breaking the profitability and sustainability rules, becoming the first club to be sanctioned under the new regulations.

And the West Midlands club have now been charged over alleged failures to lower their cost control, as part of the plan agreed with the EFL to “ensure future spending is within acceptable limits”.

The plan was imposed at the start of last season, and has remained in place since the points deduction, and ensures that Birmingham have to disclose all financial dealings with the EFL.

Che Adams was sold to Southampton for an initial £15 million fee in July but Birmingham are still believed to have failed to comply with certain guidelines.

Birmingham did spend a reported £6.3million to sign Croatian midfielder Ivan Sunjic from Dinamo Zagreb in July, though it is unclear at this stage whether that deal has breached restrictions set out in the plan.