Leigh Graydon
Arsenal need support to stop City's coup d'état
Arsenal have been front and centre of what might turn out to be a row that defines the next era of the Premier League.
The Gunners get their elbows out
That is, at least, if you believe that the Gunners had a hand in tipping off The Times about Manchester City’s intention to take the Premier League to an arbitration tribunal over their Associated Party Transactions rules which the Eithad club describes as ‘tyranny of the majority.’
Whether the Gunners did or not, the reality is that Arsenal have a right to be concerned about the goings-on at City after another season in which Mikel Arteta’s team finished as runners-up to Pep Guardiola’s side. In short, Arsenal might have the most to lose if City’s spending isn’t curbed.
It was a sentiment that Tony Adams shared given that not long after that news broke, the former Arsenal captain was interviewed on the pitch of the Emirates Stadium during a charity match.
In Adams’ typically intense and forthright way, he accused City of stockpiling players and said that Arsenal had to spend £200 million in the transfer marker just to get near City over the last 12 months.
There is, as you can see, a growing perception in North London that City are playing by different rules which is making genuine competition almost impossible.
City's power grab
Essentially, City are trying to change the laws around how much sponsors with direct connections to the club’s owners can pay.
At the moment, there is a limit but if City are successful with their challenge, you could have a scenario where subsidiary companies owned by clubs are paying £100 million for shirt sponsorship. It is the quickest way to circumvent Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules and stay within Profit and Sustainability limits.
It also renders the whole FFP concept obsolete and would turn the transfer market into the Wild West.
As things stand, the Premier League instructs clubs to generate commercial revenue from independent entities to ensure transparent financial practices.
This is why Arsenal have diligently secured a lucrative sponsorship with the airline Emirates.
Similarly, other clubs have negotiated significant partnerships with online casinos, as listed here by kingcasinobonus, with providers like LeoVegas sponsoring Wolves and Betway backing West Ham.
Whichever they go about raising capital, the wider point is that it’s about leveraging a club’s brand value to gain a competitive advantage without depending on unlimited financial resources.
The point that City are missing is that these laws are not designed to oppress clubs but to ensure that the Premier League remains competitive.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Interviewer: When did you know you were going to win the league? ?<br><br>Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak: Arsenal away ?<br><br>? <a href="https://t.co/iLE0eCOidK">https://t.co/iLE0eCOidK</a> <a href="https://t.co/liHvQVW73R">pic.twitter.com/liHvQVW73R</a></p>— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/HaytersTV/status/1798320145766453298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Perhaps they know that, but their insistence on changing the rules is a direct threat to Arsenal and any other club that is not state-owned.
What happens next?
It’s hard to say but there should have already been a European Super League-style revolt from City fans upon hearing their owner’s intentions.
Instead, the proverbial tumbleweeds have been blowing outside the Etihad Stadium. More concerningly, is that City’s proposed rule changes have seen early support from Chelsea, Everton, and Newcastle.
Ultimately, this means the Premier League is in the beginning stages of a covert coup d'état. Yes, Arsenal will fight the good fight but they will need support against considerable opposition.
