Manchester City call for 'unprecedented' Premier Leauge U-turn after rule change sparked by Newcastle United

Manchester City are taking legal action against the Premier League.

On the back of a fourth successive Premier League title, Man City have reportedly launched an unprecedented legal action that has plunged the English top flight into a ‘civil war’.

According to The Times, Manchester City want to end the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction rules in a move that, if successful, would help the club fight off the 115 charges for allegedly breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

The dispute has sparked a battle between England’s biggest clubs and will be settled after the two-week private arbitration hearing starting Monday, June 10. The hearing will see City claim the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction rules are ‘unlawful’ and seek damages.

The Times report adds that a 165-page legal document sees City argue that the club are the victim of ‘discrimination’ and new rules been approved by rival Premier League sides in an attempt to stifle their success. The other 19 Premier League clubs have been invited to participate in the legal action with between 10 and 12 supporting the League’s defence.

The Associated Party Transaction rules Manchester City are objecting were actually introduced in the wake of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund’s takeover of Newcastle United in 2021. Newcastle and Premier League clubs were placed under a temporary ban from agreeing commercial deals with companies linked to their owners.

The ban has since been lifted but rules remain that each commercial deal has to be independently assessed to represent ‘fair market value’. Newcastle have since agreed deals with PIF-linked companies such as Noon and Sela at ‘fair market value’ with the club’s commercial revenue still dwarfed by the likes of City’s.

A hearing into Manchester City’s 115 alleged breaches of financial rules will take place in November and is expected to last around six weeks. If found guilty, the club could be facing a significant punishment such as fines, points deductions or even relegation.

Man City have refuted all alleged breaches and the league action against the Premier League sees the club defend itself against the serious allegation involving whether or not they provided genuine details regarding sponsorship deals.