Man City have taken aim directly at rivals Arsenal after a new twist in their legal battle with the Premier League.
City succeeded with getting the league’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules changed after taking legal action but are still unhappy with the regulations.
In a new statement shared with Premier League clubs, they claim the rules “fail to meet the requirements of transparency, objectivity, precision and proportionality and are liable to distort competition”.
The Premier League champions are upset as shareholder loans were not subjected to the same scrutiny as other commercial deals that City saw blocked, and list Arsenal, Brighton, Everton and Leicester City as unfairly benefitting from shareholder investment.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – has insisted Man City have a point, but suggested they may have an ulterior motive.
Man City’s Arsenal argument ‘makes common sense’, says Wyness
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness claimed City’s argument “makes common sense” and is a “weak point” for the Premier League’s rulebook.
City highlighted Arsenal as receiving a £259million shareholder loan during the 2022-23 campaign, which they say is unfair.
| Position | Team | Played | Points | GD |
| 1 | Liverpool | 31 | 73 | 42 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 31 | 62 | 30 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest | 31 | 57 | 14 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 31 | 53 | 17 |
| 5 | Newcastle | 30 | 53 | 13 |
| 6 | Man City | 31 | 52 | 17 |
However, Wyness claimed City’s new action may be an attempt to get leverage over the Premier League as they await their fate in the 115 charges case.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “There’s a couple of factors here – we’re still in limbo over the APT rules, to see whether they were valid.
“This is linked because City have said that it is unfair for them to be punished for taking money from sponsors if other clubs, like Arsenal, take money from their owners.
“To me, it makes common sense. City have a case. This was always the weak point in the argument from the Premier League.
“The bigger picture is City now piling more pressure and leverage on the Premier League ahead of an outcome in the 115 charges case.
“My big hope was for this to be resolved out of court in some way. This seems to me that City are producing more and more cards in a bid to negotiate a settlement.
“That’s what looks to be going on behind the scenes – and what the politics of this point to.”
Arsenal can fund Gyokeres deal this summer
Meanwhile, Football Insider revealed on 5 April that Arsenal have the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) capacity to agree a deal for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres in the summer transfer window.
Man United are also keen on Gyokeres after he previously played under Ruben Amorim at Sporting.
The striker, who is under contract until 2028, is understood to have a release clause worth around £85million.
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The post Man City 115 charges: Arsenal accusation emerges in ‘big twist behind the scenes’ appeared first on Football Insider.
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