Man City write to 19 Premier League rivals for help as row with league escalates

Manchester City have reportedly written to their fellow top-flight clubs asking for help in their bitter legal dispute with the Premier League. In June, the club launched a case against the authority over regulations around Associated Party Transactions (APTs), which they cited as ‘unlawful’.

Last month, an independent panel upheld a selection of City’s complaints, most notably regarding shareholder loans.

They ruled that excluding such loans, which club owners could previously use as a way to invest in their teams, from APT rules was discriminatory and unfair.

The Premier League has since been forced to propose amended regulations, which all 20 of their sides will vote on next week. They want members to agree to APTs including shareholder loans, but only with further alterations around fair market value tests.

But according to The Times, City’s general counsel Simon Cliff sent correspondence to City’s 19 rivals on Friday, urging them not to vote in favour of the Premier League and threatening further legal action if necessary. He was also critical of the speed with which the new proposals had been introduced.

“Man City is strongly in favour of robust, effective and lawful regulation of related party transactions,” he said. “Several of the APT rules have been found to be unlawful. The legal effect of this is — we say — that the APT regime is void and importantly the previous RPT (related party transactions) regime, that the APT regime superseded, remains in force until any new regime is agreed.

“In the meantime, common sense dictates that the PL should not rush into passing amendments — particularly ones which entail material legal risk — until the PL knows the outcome from the tribunal. It is important that a new regime is grounded in rules that are fair, considered and legal.”

Cliff adds it is “critical” the Premier League now gets the rules right, and argued the current proposals are being rushed. His pleas follow league bosses writing to their current champions on Saturday, strongly refuting accusations levelled at them by the club.

The timing of City’s request to rivals is ironic considering developments last week. The case is separate to the 115 charges of Financial Fair Play breaches they are currently facing, which covers a nine-year period from 2009 until 2018.

As a result, four of the remaining five teams in the ‘big six’ of English football have made provisions for their own legal action. Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are now in a position to sue City should they be found guilty of the charges.

A verdict on that case is not expected until 2025. Should City be found guilty, the club could potentially face huge points deductions and relegation into the Championship.