The Premier League could be in for a shake-up after Manchester City's recent legal win, which has left many clubs feeling rattled.
According to reports from ITV and Sky Sports, Premier League clubs are set to hold an emergency meeting next week to address City’s victory in a legal case that challenges the Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules.
The APT rules, introduced back in December 2021 following Newcastle United’s takeover, were designed to stop clubs from making overly favorable sponsorship deals with related companies.
However, a recent judgement has declared these rules to be unlawful, handing the reigning champions Manchester City a major win.
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What does this mean for the Premier League?
City’s legal team successfully argued that the APT rules didn’t consider the interest-free loans that club shareholders lend to teams.
With clubs currently benefitting from a massive £1.5 billion ($1.9b) in shareholder loans, this ruling could open the door for more lucrative deals for clubs like City. And naturally, that’s got the other 19 Premier League clubs concerned.
🚨🔵 Manchester City statement confirm legal win over Premier League after the governing commercial deals between clubs and related companies were declared unlawful. pic.twitter.com/ThWGMequZT
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 7, 2024
Back when the APT rules were introduced, clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool were strong supporters. But now, with City’s legal victory, it’s clear that the landscape has changed – and not in their favor.
As the Premier League braces for its return after the international break, fans of clubs across the top flight will be watching closely. Could this be the start of an era where City’s rivals have to play catch-up in more ways than one? Only time – and perhaps next week’s emergency meeting – will tell.
