‘Man City target Arsenal and Everton with new legal action’ – top source
Man City have fought the Premier League over Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules alongside their well-publicised 115 charges scrap.
The APT rules were amended in November 2024 after legal action from City, but they have launched new action and insist the regulations still violate competition law.
Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa also opposed the new guidelines when they were introduced last year (2024), but a majority of Premier League sides voted the changes through.
City have insisted (as per the BBC, 7 February) the changes “would introduce into the rules a retrospective exemption for shareholder loans” – which have been utilised by clubs like Arsenal and Everton, alongside much of the top flight.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – has had his say on potential punishment for Arsenal and the Toffees should City be successful.
Wyness shares verdict on ‘retrospective punishment’ for Arsenal and Everton
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted it would be “very hard” to retrospectively punish clubs for utilising low-interest shareholder loans.
Clubs across the Premier League have recently converted any outstanding loans into equity with the new rules set to make sure interest is being charged at industry-standard levels.
Wyness insisted the likes of Arsenal and Everton will have “mitigating circumstances” even if City are successful.
He told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “Man City are saying these adjustments to the rules aren’t legal.
“They did warn the clubs and the Premier League they would come back, and they’ve done it.
“This new challenge could affect clubs like Arsenal and Everton, in theory, because it’s asking for retrospective punishment if there was a breach in the rules on shareholder loans.
“It’s a lot for everyone to follow.
“They had a fair point that it should be applied to shareholder loans, and it’s fair to lump it in with inflating sponsorship deals.
“I think there are mitigating circumstances for these clubs because they operated under the rules which were in place at the time.
“I think it would be very hard to retrospectively punish these sides.”
Man City spending to continue this summer
On the pitch, Wyness has previously told Football Insider that Man City can continue spending this summer despite dropping £180million on four new January arrivals.
Nico Gonzalez, Omar Marmoush, Victor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov all arrived at the Etihad Stadium to bolster Guardiola’s squad.
Former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown has told Football Insider that Man City scouts are keeping tabs on Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton.
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