Dr Dan Plumley

Tue 28 December 2021 20:30, UK

Newcastle United will feel “targeted again” after the Premier League introduced new legislation around contracts to players and staff.

So says finance expert Doctor Dan Plumley, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the new rules concerning clubs and their associated parties.

The Times reported last Tuesday (21 December) that all new related-party sponsorship deals will be independently scrutinised for fair market value.

Fair-market assessment will also be applied to one-off payments and new contracts of over £1million to players and staff from associated parties.

The aim of the rules, which 18 top-flight sides voted in favour, is to prevent clubs from bypassing FFP rules by paying wages through external entities.

But Plumley claims that the new measures are a barely-disguised attempt by the league’s most powerful clubs to “pull the ladder up behind them”.

“Newcastle will feel targeted again,” the Sheffield Hallam University expert told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.

“It’s the clubs in the Premier League who are trying to stop this and stop competition from other clubs.

“If you look at Newcastle’s external wealth, the bigger clubs see what is coming and try and pull the ladder up behind them.

“Any cap on Newcastle’s external wealth limits their ability to close that gap. Clubs are voting this down because they are looking after themselves.

“There will be a bit of a challenge in terms of what constitutes fair market value. They are going to look at previous deals, which is not an exact science.

“If you loosen the reins, the potential for Newcastle is almost unlimited. Other clubs don’t want that.”

Newcastle, the world’s richest club after their takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, are 19th in the Premier League.

They drew 1-1 with Man United last night (27 December) and travel to face Everton in two days time.

In other news, pundit tips Newcastle United to “hijack” Ainsley Maitland-Niles talks after Arsenal exit update.