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29th Mar 2024

Football finance expert says Man City can spend £500million per year under new Premier League rules

Ryan Price

Man City

The treble-winning club still has 115 charges hanging over their heads as a result of alleged financial regulation breaches.

Manchester City will have the freedom to spend up to half a billion pounds each year under the new profit and sustainability rules that have been voted in by Premier League clubs.

According to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, City can “consistently spend big” in the transfer market if their Abu Dhabi owners are not worried about making a profit.

In an exclusive interview with Football Insider, the US based accountant said that the owners of Manchester City will be “delighted that the Premier League have adopted a squad control cap that is similar to the one that exists within UEFA.”

The current controversial profitability and sustainability rules are set to be replaced with these updated ones as early as this summer.

The new conditions will eventually limit clubs participating in European competitions to only spend 70 per cent of revenue on transfer fees, player wages and so on.

If approved, the new rules will not affect the ongoing cases regarding Everton, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, who will all continue to be judged on existing financial models.

Last month, Everton had their previous ten point deduction reduced to six following an appeal by the club.

Leeds Burnley Everton complaint
(Image: Getty)

Nottingham Forest will learn their fate on April 15th, after they were found guilty of major breaches during last summer’s transfer window, owing large sums to several agents.

According to the Daily Mail in January, Forest had been refusing to pay bonuses that included Premier League survival payments to players who had left the club.

If the debts are not paid or no settlements are made, legal action could be taken which could result in a winding up petition.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is said to be the person at the centre of the issue.

(Image: Getty)

Referring to the 70 per cent cap on transfer fees and player wages, Maguire said that this stipulation would “allow Manchester City to spend around about £500million a year in respect of wages, agents, fees and their net transfer cost.”

“Then it comes down to just how much of an investment Abu Dhabi want to make in Manchester City,” he added.

“Do they want to be close to the limit, or do they want to operate well within it and actually become a more profitable organisation?”

In simpler terms, City can therefore spend £500million each season and still comply with both Uefa and Premier League financial regulations if they maintain their current revenue generation.

This seems like an easily achievable goal for the club, as City broke the Premier League record with their 2022/2023 accounts with a total revenue of £713million.

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