Richard Masters has written to Leicester City and fellow member clubs to say the Premier League is taking the “necessary time” to develop amendments to key sponsorship rules.
The move comes after the Premier League and Manchester City locked legal horns over associated party transactions with the latter claiming victory in their arbitration battle.
APT rules ensure that sponsorship deals with companies linked to clubs’ owners represent fair market value and City had some complaints upheld and two aspects of the rules were deemed unlawful. Now, in a letter sent by Premier League chief executive Masters, he hints at a possible delay to a key meeting to discuss the situation.
“There have been many club conversations over recent days, with constructive and informative feedback provided,” he wrote. “We now have a comprehensive set of information and data which is helping to inform our recommended approach and rule amendment drafting.
“We are taking the necessary time to develop our proposals and the associated draft rule amendments for club consideration. We will circulate these to clubs when fully considered and ready, which may impact on the scheduling of our planned meetings with Financial Controls and Legal Advisory Groups, and all clubs next week.”
The news comes after it was claimed Nottingham Forest “might” prove to be an ally to Manchester City over their challenge about financial controls in the Premier League.
City have been in touch with all other clubs in the aftermath of a major ruling in its ongoing case against the top flight – and told rivals that the league’s interpretation was ‘incorrect’. They are offering to assist any club that “has questions” having taken on the Premier League regarding commercial deals involving club owners.
A 175-page verdict leaves the Premier League now needing to get 14 of its 20 clubs to back a re-stated form of APT rules to prevent what is described in the Daily Mail as “sponsorship becoming a source of vast financial imbalance”.
Stances will become clear at a meeting of the 20 clubs to discuss the situation, scheduled for Thursday but now in doubt in light of Masters’ letter. There will be no votes or decisions at this meeting, if it indeed goes ahead.
However, the Mail reports: “A number of clubs expect City to dominate with a lengthy exposition of the failings of the current system — and the Premier League will not even be attempting to lay out a timetable for a new APT system. Some clubs are expected to attend in person and some online.”
Aston Villa are claimed to be “sympathetic to City’s stance”, along with Saudi-owned Newcastle United and Chelsea, who have received billions of pounds in Saudi investment. Everton have backed City too and it is claimed that Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis “might prove another ally”.
Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, West Ham, Brentford, Bournemouth, Fulham and Wolves have supported the Premier League. Leicester City’s stance is unknown, but they have had a well-documented run-in with the top-flight over PSR, a battle the club won to stave off the threat of a damaging points deduction.
Erik ten Hag remains a man under pressure and at the centre of discussion. After five straight matches without a win for the first time in five years, Manchester United have been teetering on the brink of yet more change.
After the heavy defeat to Tottenham, Ten Hag seemingly had one week to save himself, delivering a not entirely satisfactory but ultimately good enough pair of contrasting draws against Porto and Aston Villa. With two weeks to prepare for the visit of Brentford and Thomas Frank, the spotlight has remained on Old Trafford.
Very little has come out from the meeting, suggesting that Ten Hag is safe for now. It is also understood that Ten Hag is of the assertion he will be on the touchline for the next match.
He has taken the international break as a chance to have some time away from the club, leaving England on a brief holiday, before being set to return.
Tuchel deadline
Having been Ratcliffe’s preferred candidate to take on the mantle if Ten Hag left over the summer, Thomas Tuchel is reportedly in negotiations with England. The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss has long been linked with taking over the national team job and contact has now been made.
About time . Clearer understanding and teams rights should not have to be creative or Ross examined. Clean the confused and confusion up once and for all . Rules should be set in stone hummmmm
Sorry about spelling mistakes x
ok