When it comes to shaking the very foundations of English football governance, Man City is currently doing more than just rattling the cage. They’re practically dismantling the hinges. The reigning treble winners are aggressively pursuing their legal battle against the Premier League, highlighting what they consider blatant inconsistencies in the regulation of shareholder loans across clubs.
Man City argues it’s not a fair fight — it’s a rigged game
Man City’s lawyers are sharpening their legal quills faster than Kevin De Bruyne threads a through ball. Their argument? Other clubs, notably Arsenal, Everton, Brighton, and Leicester, have lapped up owner-backed loans with minimal scrutiny — a courtesy never extended to City when it comes to sponsorships or related party transactions. To give you numbers that would make even an FFP accountant blink twice: Arsenal reportedly drew £259m, Brighton secured £406.5m, and Everton gobbled up £450m. If football were Monopoly, those are hotels on Mayfair.
Man City believes in transparency — but not the magician’s kind
Invoking rule B18, Man City wants clubs subpoenaed to reveal their financial rabbit tricks. According to them, shareholder loans should not be disappearing acts outside the purview of Premier League regulations. The city’s stance is simple (and, frankly, bold): if you’re going to grill us, better turn up the heat for everyone else too.
City claims loopholes are bigger than Erling Haaland’s goal tally
City’s contention is as sharp as Pep Guardiola’s touchline fashion. They argue the Premier League’s current Associated Party Transactions framework is still skewed, even after last year’s tribunal reset. They prefer the pre-2021 rules — back when, in their view, the playing field was less tilted than Brighton’s xG stats.
Whether City’s challenge will rewrite the regulatory rulebook or just provide more material for courtroom dramas remains to be seen. One thing is clear — Man City won’t be passing back on this legal counterattack anytime soon.
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