Premier League set for major changes as investigation into rule breaches moves towards resolution
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Premier League Chief Executive richard masters say they do not want to “normalise the asterisk on the league table” as the competition faces a potentially crucial season over its regulatory future. Manchester City Case Final results are expected by AprilThis potentially seismic decision hinges on the entire new season, which is set to begin on Friday. Masters maintained his stance of refusing to discuss any of its elements, except to say “of course we consider the conclusion of what could happen and we think about it a lot”.
City insist their innocence. While the outcome could still change the face of football, it is the biggest of several regulatory issues. Chelsea are under investigation for alleged historic rule-breaking under Roman Abramovich, with Masters saying the process is now “reaching a ‘conclusion’ stage”. Recently promoted Leicester City have also been charged for alleged breaches of profit and sustainability rules, with Everton also facing a deduction of one-third of their points a year after reports of more financial breaches. Such situations could still leave a table littered with asterisks, as the Premier League at the same time makes “shadow” changes to the rules that come into effect in 2025-26.
This will mean clubs will have to meet a squad cost ratio of 70 per cent year-on-year, and the optimistic stance within the Premier League is that all the current issues are just a temporary adaptation to changed circumstances, where the regulatory framework simply needs to be updated. Masters added that the “economic shadow of Covid is still with us”.
“We always want football to speak for itself and obviously we don’t want to normalise the asterisks on the league table or the long-running regulatory disputes,” Masters said. “We want this to be temporary, not permanent. We have to face these challenges and resolve them and get to the end of the season and have a clearer picture.”
Much of it may depend on the attitude of the clubs themselves. Masters insisted that “there is still a collective spirit within the Premier League” but added that “they are competing with each other all the time and everyone is trying to find an angle”. He rejected the idea that clubs were trying to exploit loopholes within the rules.
“It’s a competition, isn’t it? So it’s set up for people to compete with each other and clubs compete with each other on the field, off the field, in sponsorship markets for new investment. They’re competing with each other all the time and everyone is trying to find an angle, whether it’s signing a player, finding a way to get better in the Premier League and I think that’s a good thing.”
Despite the need to update financial regulations, Masters denied there was unrest at the club. He said the main reason for changing the regulation was to match UEFA’s own changes.
“I’m not sure there is widespread dissatisfaction with the rules. We are considering changes because it started with coordination with UEFA. Obviously what has changed is that some clubs have breached those rules and that has led to external scrutiny of the financial system and has brought it under a lot more scrutiny. I accept that it has led to frustration at times and a lack of clarity, but we have to do our job and the way the system works is that when we think there has been a breach, we clearly announce it publicly, then it is heard by an independent panel, they are in charge of that process at the time.”
Masters denied there was any concern among stakeholders about the Premier League’s image over so many issues, pointing out that 50 per cent of the broadcast money spent on the five major leagues is spent on England’s top leagues.
“All I can say is I come back to one of my main themes, which is letting the football do the talking. The strength of the competition in all our discussions, whether it’s with sponsors and commercial partners or with broadcasters, they are extremely happy with the intensity of the competition. It’s the engagement with their fans and their customers. So that hasn’t been an issue.”
Masters similarly reiterated the argument that there are no concerns about City winning a seventh title in eight years as long as the title race is exciting. He finally reiterated that there are “no plans for away matches” although this is emerging as one of the surprise themes of the summer.
“It’s never been discussed at a shareholders meeting since the 39th game, those of you who remember it and I certainly remember it and of course I think if any change to the structure of the competition is significant then fans should be consulted, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. It’s not part of the plans. So to that extent I think it’s a slightly controversial issue.”