Ten of the Netherlands’ 35 professional football clubs are under special football association supervision because their finances are in such a poor state, the KNVB said on Friday.

Six of the clubs in trouble – ADO Den Haag, De Graafschaap, NEC, Roda JC, FC Twente and PRC Zwolle – play in the Eredivisie. All 10 sides have three years to get their finances in order or face suspension.

ADO Den Haag, bought by Chinese company United Vansen International Sports in 2014, posted a €700,000 loss last season. The promised investments by its Chinese owner have largely failed to materialise and the club owes the city council €6.5m.

FC Twente is in trouble over a deal with investment company Doyen Sports. In 2014 Doyen agreed to put €5m into the club in return for a percentage of the transfer fee for seven players but that agreement broke Dutch FA rules.

Dutch local councils which have a professional football club have set aside a combined €240m to fund their clubs over the past 10 years, according to research by current affairs show Nieuwsuur earlier this month.

Eleven clubs – Ajax, Almere City FC, SC Cambuur, Excelsior, Feyenoord, Go Ahead Eagles, FC Groningen, sc Heerenveen, FC Oss, PSV and Willem II – are considered to be financially the most secure.