Aston Villa owner Nassef Sawiris has explained why he has sided with Manchester City and will vote against the Premier League’s associated party transaction (APT) proposal.
All 20 Premier League clubs will vote on Friday on the new sponsorship rules which were drawn up on the back of an independent panel finding that sections of the existing APT rules were unlawful after a legal challenge from City.
But City have accused the Premier League of rushing its consultation and called on clubs to vote against the amendments, raising the prospect of further legal action should they be enforced.
The Daily Mail claim the vote is ‘on a knife edge’ after Villa wrote to their fellow Premier League clubs to explain their position.
They wrote: ‘It is now abundantly clear that any vote (if passed) will result in immediate further litigation by Manchester City FC and an associated defence by the EPL [English Premier League], incurring material further costs and unnecessary distraction and devotion of time to this issue.
‘It is highly likely that the tribunal will conclude within the coming three months, and that an APT rule that takes into consideration the tribunal’s verdict will be supported by all clubs and cannot be contested.’
The changes would need the support of 14 clubs to pass and the Daily Mail claim Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Wolves and Everton all have their doubts and are considering their options carefully.
The report adds:
‘The meeting is of huge significance with many factors at play. Previous votes have seen abstentions and City’s threat of potentially-costly further legal action has not gone unnoticed across the league.
‘The league’s legal costs for a variety of cases, including the ongoing hearing with City over the champions’ 115 alleged breaches of financial rules, have raised concerns among a large number of clubs.
‘A vote that fails would also increase the pressure on Premier League chief executive Richard Masters and has the potential to have huge implications, according to those close to the matter.’
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Villa chief Sawiris confirmed his position in a statement on Wednesday.
‘In our view, a vote in 90 days on amended terms taking into consideration the Tribunal’s findings will have a significantly greater chance of securing the unanimous support of all 20 Premier League clubs,’ he said.
‘Crucially, a unanimous vote will present a fresh start for an embattled Premier League that began with the failed attempt to launch a Super League in 2021.
‘With the imminent arrival of the Government’s Independent Football Regulator, it is more important than ever that the Premier League can present itself to the regulator with a united front.
‘In our view, this will be far more easily achieved if the APT vote is held in February and supported unanimously by all clubs.
‘It is noteworthy that legal bills to date on this matter have already reached astronomical amounts; further challenges and escalation of these fees could be avoided through reaching consensus.
‘Ultimately, a unanimous vote will showcase the emergence of a new era of clubs who can compete vigorously on the pitch but work together to strengthen the Premier League and its global appeal.’
