Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness has shed light on an escalating internal conflict within the Premier League, as certain clubs, he claims, are trying to hinder the progress of Chelsea and Newcastle United. The tensions stem from an ongoing legal battle involving Manchester City and the Premier League’s APT (Accepted Profit and Taxation) rules. Wyness, speaking on *Football Insider’s* *Inside Track* podcast, described this situation as a “civil war” being fought in the courts, with several top-tier clubs taking sides. Manchester City took legal action against the Premier League in June, challenging the fairness of the APT rules, which regulate financial compliance.
An arbitration panel recently delivered its verdict on October 7, finding two elements of the APT rules unlawful, while upholding the broader framework. The Premier League welcomed this decision, viewing it as a validation of the system, but Manchester City criticized the governing body’s interpretation of the ruling, alleging that their summary contained inaccuracies. In this high-stakes battle, Chelsea, Newcastle, and Everton backed Manchester City, while clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Brighton, and West Ham stood with the Premier League.
Wyness believes that the efforts to constrain clubs like Chelsea, Newcastle, and Manchester City stem from the dominant position these clubs are building in English football. He noted that the six clubs aligned with the Premier League are taking a “defensive posture” to preserve their influence and prevent the growing power of the others. As legal battles intensify, Wyness sees this divide as a major threat to the Premier League’s unity, with the conflict potentially creating long-term issues for the governance and competitiveness of the league.
This emerging power struggle within the Premier League reflects broader concerns about financial inequality, influence, and control in modern football. As clubs with deep financial backing, like Manchester City and Newcastle, challenge traditional powers, Wyness warns that this “civil war” could lead to further fragmentation and conflict in English football.
READ MORE ON: https://sportip.co.uk/