Premier League clubs are said to be fearful about the impacts of a government-appointed independent regulator.
The failed European Super League project prompted the UK Government to bring forward their plans for a fan-led review of football governance, a review that ultimately recommended the introduction of an independent regulator in a bid to protect the entire English football pyramid.
The government are set to publish a white paper on the creation of the independent regulator this Thursday, with The Sun revealing details earlier this month after reportedly seeing a leaked version of the document.
Part of the powers set to be handed to the new regulator is to have more of a say on who is in charge, with only ‘fit and proper custodians’ allowed to own clubs, while those who cannot prove the source of their funding will be prevented from completing takeovers of English sides.
Premier League clubs have so-far been unsurprisingly unhappy at the prospect of further regulation, and according to the Times, while they are reluctantly willing to accept that a regulator will be appointed, clubs will be ‘resistant’ to increased financial regulation ‘if they think it limits future opportunity and perhaps even dissuades investment from abroad’.
It says that the concern is that more regulation ‘could reduce the appeal of the Premier League both to current and potential new owners.’
Such concerns come at a time following Chelsea’s £2.5 billion takeover last year, while Manchester United are currently the subject of at least two takeover bids, with the Glazers wanting around £5 billion.
Liverpool’s owners have confirmed that they are looking for increased investment in the Anfield outfit – though denied the club was up for sale – while Spurs are also reportedly the target of potential takeover interest.
The regulator could also be given the ‘backstop’ power to redistribute funds among the English pyramid, with the Premier League, EFL, and FA having so far been unable to agree on terms on ‘A New Deal for Football’.
The EFL are said to want the Premier League to give them 25% of their annual £3.5billion TV revenues that would be shared between the EFL clubs based on their respective league finish.
