Premier League rivals Manchester United and Manchester City are set to join forces and oppose the competition's planned restrictions on spending.
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Premier League plan to restrict spendingCaps to be calculated by commercial and prize moneyMan Utd and Man City both against proposalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Premier League is proposing a four-year trial that would restrict club spending based on commercial, prize money, transfer, wages and agent revenue. Reports reveal the top club in the division would be limited to spending five times as much as the bottom-placed club based on their income. Those in favour of the changes believe it would make the league more balanced and competitive, preventing the likes of City, Chelsea and those forking out millions in the transfer market from creating a gap in quality on the pitch.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Those opposing the restrictions – including the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) – say it would put clubs at a disadvantage in Europe but also put players off joining them as there would be a limit on how much they could earn. The PFA fear approval in the Premier League would then encourage the EFL to follow suit and introduce their own anchoring system to control finances.
AFPWHAT WAS SAID?
Manchester United shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe spoke out last year on the proposed caps, branding it "absurd". He went on to add: "What would anchoring do? It would inhibit the top clubs in the Premiership and the last thing you want is for them not to be able to compete with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, PSG. That’s absurd. If it does, it ceases to be the finest league in the world."
DID YOU KNOW?
For the scheme to be approved, the Premier League requires the support of two-thirds of the division's clubs. The Manchester clubs would need the support of five other clubs to prevent the restrictions being put in place, while those pushing from the Premier League's end must get a total of 14 votes in their favour.
