According to reports, Manchester City have been ‘joined’ by rivals Aston Villa as the Associated Party Transaction ‘row is intensifying’.
At the start of 2023, Man City were charged with breaching over 100 of the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play rules.
This followed a four-year probe into their conduct between 2009 and 2018. If they are found guilty, they could be given a huge fine, points deduction, transfer ban or expulsion from the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola‘s side have insisted on their innocence and fought back against the Premier League in the summer as they campaigned for the removal of APT rules.
While City’s FFP case remains ongoing, their APT hearing has already concluded. They did not force the rules to be removed, but a couple of components of the current regulations were deemed unlawful.
In response, the Premier League have ‘proposed changes to sponsorship rules’. However, Man City subsequently ‘launched another stinging attack’, insisting these rules are also ‘unlawful’.
READ: Man City stars reassigned after FFP ‘expulsion’: Foden to Chelsea as Arsenal land centre-back
The tension between Man City and the Premier League is unlikely to ease anytime soon and a report from The Telegraph revealed Aston Villa have ‘backed’ their rivals.
It is claimed that they have ‘urged the Premier League to postpone Friday’s crucial APT vote’.
‘Aston Villa have rallied behind Manchester City in the intensifying associated-party transaction (APT) row by writing to Premier League clubs “strongly recommending” Friday’s vote is postponed.
‘Telegraph Sport has previously reported how Villa’s ownership has grown increasingly sympathetic towards the Abu Dhabi-owned club’s cause, but a written intervention ahead of the crunch vote is seen by rivals as significant.
‘Three arguments are understood to have been raised by Villa as the club suggest a postponement: fresh potential legal challenges, ongoing uncertainties around the tribunal’s findings and also further changes to the rule book after the introduction of the independent regulator.’
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The Times have backed up this report, saying Aston Villa have ‘joined’ Man City in ‘calling’ for Friday’s ‘watershed moment’ to be ‘postponed’.
‘The Premier League intends to press ahead with a vote on Associated Party Transactions (APT) despite Villa joining City in calling for it to be postponed.
‘City are understood to have been in touch with other clubs to try to get the necessary seven votes needed to block it.
‘Villa have written to the Premier League and the other 19 clubs in England’s top flight urging for the vote at Friday’s shareholders’ meeting to be put on hold.
‘However other clubs are determined that it should go ahead and one source said the outcome was “critical to the future of the Premier League”.
‘The row follows the legal challenge by Manchester City against APTs — brought after the league rejected a huge new Etihad sponsorship deal as being not of fair market value — in which the club claimed victory on some key points.
‘The independent tribunal has yet to provide full clarification on the status of the league’s APT rules after its judgment.’
