MAN CITY WIN LEGAL BATTLE AGAINST PREMIER LEAGUE OVER APT FINANCIAL RULES

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Manchester City secured a legal victory against the Premier League on Friday in a prolonged dispute over financial regulations, with differing interpretations of the ruling’s impact.

An independent panel declared the Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules “void and unenforceable.”

These rules required clubs, their players, managers, and senior officials to seek Premier League approval before conducting business with ‘associated parties’—entities or individuals with significant financial ties to the club. The league’s board would then assess whether such transactions reflected fair market value.

The Premier League has defended the APT rules as a measure to ensure fairness across the division and reduce reliance on commercial deals linked to club ownership.

This month, City launched a fresh challenge against the revised APT rules, which were amended and approved by a majority of Premier League clubs in November.

However, the Premier League maintains that the panel’s ruling does not affect the rules in their current form, and clubs are expected to comply while awaiting further legal clarification.

APT rules were initially introduced in December 2021 following Newcastle United’s Saudi-led takeover.

City, who have won eight Premier League titles, one Champions League, three FA Cups and six League Cups since being bought by Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, were accused of more than 100 alleged breaches of finance rules.

They are expected to find out the verdict for the alleged financial breaches later this year.