Man City suddenly sued the Premier League over 115 allegations

Manchester City is reported to have taken unprecedented legal action to sued the Premier League.

According to sources from The Times, Man City has initiated legal action to challenge financial regulations that have caused significant divisions among clubs in the top tier of English football.

In a private arbitration hearing lasting two weeks starting on May 4th, Man City will attempt to overturn the Premier League’s Associated Party Transactions (APT) rules.

Introduced in December 2021 following the Saudi Arabian takeover of Newcastle, the APT rules were designed to prevent clubs from inflating commercial deals with companies linked to their owners.

These rules were introduced in an effort to maintain the competitiveness of the Premier League following the rise in state ownership of clubs.

The APT rules stipulate that commercial deals must be independently assessed for ‘fair market value’. According to The Times, Man City argues that these regulations are illegal and will seek damages from the Premier League.

The outcome of next week’s hearing is likely to significantly impact another hearing related to 115 allegations of financial regulation breaches by Man City in the Premier League.

If The Cityzens are found guilty in that separate hearing, expected to take place in November, it could result in severe penalties for the club’s owners, including potential point deductions or even relegation.

Man City has submitted a 165-page legal document ahead of the hearing on the APT rules, in which the Etihad club claims to be the victim of ‘discrimination’, describing the regulations approved by their rivals as ‘tyranny of the majority’.

The Times reports that some of Man City’s rivals fear they will succeed with their legal challenge, which would allow the wealthiest clubs to assess their sponsorship deals without independent valuation – potentially boosting their transfer funds massively.

“Nineteen other league clubs were invited to join the legal case and The Times understands that between 10 to 12 clubs have come forward, providing witness statements or letters detailing evidence to support the Premier League’s defense against the accusation,” a spokesperson for The Times added.

Witnesses who have provided statements may be called to testify at the hearing.

The Times claims the newspaper is aware of at least one club that has submitted a witness statement supporting Man City for next week’s arbitration hearing, with sources believing more than half have sided with the Premier League.