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English Premier League 2025/26 Season Discussion

Premier League set to decide on PSR alternative

A decision on whether to scrap the Premier League's controversial profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and adopt an "alternative system" is "coming up", says chief executive Richard Masters.

The current regulations, introduced in 2015-16 to prevent clubs from overspending, allow losses of £105m over a three-year reporting cycle.

However, they have been criticised by several top-flight teams for limiting their ability to invest.

BBC Sport has been told a decision on any changes is likely to be made at a meeting in November.

In February clubs chose to continue with PSR for the current season.

However a squad cost ratio (SCR) system of financial control was adopted by the Premier League on a shadowing, non-binding basis.

SCR is similar to Uefa's existing financial rules and allows clubs to spend up to a percentage of their total revenues on squad-related costs.

Nine of the league's 20 clubs already have to comply with Uefa's SCR as a result of qualifying for Europe. Both Chelsea and Aston Villa were fined by Uefa in July for breaching the rules.

Asked about SCR at the Leaders sports conference in London, Masters said: "We are talking to our clubs about an alternative system. That's not to say we don't think the PSR system works."

He added: "It's about closer alignment with European regulation, which is squad cost ratio, which is a revenue test. In Uefa, it's now set at 70%. Our system will be 85% because we always want our clubs to have the ability to invest.

"The Premier League has been built on the back of investment in which international capital flows [are] coming in. We don't want that to be to be stifled off."

Premier League clubs Everton and Nottingham Forest were docked points in the 2023-24 season for breaching PSR.

In 2023, Aston Villa's co-owner Nassef Sawiris said the regulations "do not make sense" and protected the biggest clubs, while he was considering legal action against the rules.

Having been forced to offload players to comply with the regulations, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has also been critical of PSR, saying it incentivises clubs to sell academy products.

"The PSR is a look-back profitability test and has its own strengths and weaknesses. No system will be perfect," said Masters.

"We have to keep these things balanced and continue the conversation with our clubs, and that's an important decision, so we should take the time to get it right. But that decision is coming up."

The Premier League is also trialling another model known as 'top to bottom anchoring' (TBA) which effectively caps the amount any club can spend as a multiple of the income earned by the league's bottom side.

BBC Sport has been told the new rules - if adopted - could also include TBA, and would come into force at the start of next season.

Record spending during the summer transfer window reinforced some top-flight clubs' concerns about PSR, and whether changes are needed in order to protect competitive balance given the additional revenues being generated for those involved in the expanded Champions League and Club World Cup.


www.bbc.com

Premier League decision on PSR changes 'coming up' - Richard Masters

A decision on whether to scrap the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules and adopt an "alternative system" is "coming up", says Richard Masters.
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TODAY'S FIXTURE (03-10-2025)

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Spurs owners inject £100m into club​

Tottenham Hotspur's majority owners have injected £100m of new capital into the club.

Spurs say the investment will "further strengthen the club's financial position and equip the club's leadership team with additional resources to continue the focus on driving long-term sporting success".

Investment group Enic, which is run by the Lewis Family Trust, owns a majority 86.58% of Tottenham, while the remaining 13.42% is owned by a group of minority investors.

Former chairman Daniel Levy owns 29.88% of Enic, but does not have any direct involvement with the club after stepping down from his position in September.

The majority of Enic used to be owned by British businessman Joe Lewis but in 2022 he handed ownership to the Lewis Family Trust and is no longer involved with the club.

The Lewis family have been at the forefront of much hierarchical change at Tottenham over the past few months, and the club statement adds that "this additional capital is part of the Lewis family's ongoing commitment to the club and its future".

A source close to the family said: "This is initial additional funding. As the club's management decides what's needed to deliver success, more money will be available. The Lewis family is committed to backing the club to be successful."

Since Levy stepped down there have been three expressions of interest made about taking over Spurs.

The latest was made by American tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick, who ruled out making a formal takeover bid after Tottenham insisted the club was not for sale.

BBC
 

Spurs owners inject £100m into club​

Tottenham Hotspur's majority owners have injected £100m of new capital into the club.

Spurs say the investment will "further strengthen the club's financial position and equip the club's leadership team with additional resources to continue the focus on driving long-term sporting success".

Investment group Enic, which is run by the Lewis Family Trust, owns a majority 86.58% of Tottenham, while the remaining 13.42% is owned by a group of minority investors.

Former chairman Daniel Levy owns 29.88% of Enic, but does not have any direct involvement with the club after stepping down from his position in September.

The majority of Enic used to be owned by British businessman Joe Lewis but in 2022 he handed ownership to the Lewis Family Trust and is no longer involved with the club.

The Lewis family have been at the forefront of much hierarchical change at Tottenham over the past few months, and the club statement adds that "this additional capital is part of the Lewis family's ongoing commitment to the club and its future".

A source close to the family said: "This is initial additional funding. As the club's management decides what's needed to deliver success, more money will be available. The Lewis family is committed to backing the club to be successful."

Since Levy stepped down there have been three expressions of interest made about taking over Spurs.

The latest was made by American tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick, who ruled out making a formal takeover bid after Tottenham insisted the club was not for sale.

BBC
 
Ex-referee David Coote admits child image offence

Former Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child.

The 43-year-old appeared at Nottingham Crown Court over an allegation relating to a category A video, the most serious kind, recovered by police in February.

Coote, from Woodhill Road, Collingham, Nottinghamshire, was granted conditional bail ahead of an appearance on 11 December.

Judge Nirmal Shant KC ordered a pre-sentence report and said: "You have pleaded guilty to a serious matter. Whether this means custody or not will be decided when all the information is before the court."


www.bbc.com

Ex-Premier League referee David Coote admits child image offence

David Coote was charged on 12 August following an investigation by Nottinghamshire Police.
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Top European clubs discuss using six substitutes

Europe's top clubs, including some Premier League sides, have held discussions about using six substitutes per game to ease the workload on players.

Sides met at the European Football Clubs' (EFC) general assembly in Rome last week to discuss issues within the game.

It was not officially on the agenda or pushed by the EFC, but clubs had informal, private discussions about utilising 28-man squads - up from the current 25 - and six substitutes.

Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest were among those from the Premier League in Italy.

Football's rulemakers, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), would need to recommend any changes first, and it is unclear when, if at all, any changes would be made.

Five substitutes were introduced in the Premier League in May 2020 before football resumed during the coronavirus pandemic.

The league reverted back to three for the 2020-21 season, before five was voted in permanently from the 2022-23 season. A sixth substitute is allowed to replace a player without a suspected head injury.

Three extra squad places are seen as being able to reduce the workload on players after threats of strikes.

Last season Tottenham defender Archie Gray was included in 80 matchday squads for club and country, including friendlies, the joint highest in Europe with Real Madrid's 20-year-old midfielder Arda Guler.

Gray, 19, made 48 appearances as Spurs won the Europa League and helped England Under-21s win Euro 2025 in the summer.

Sources close to the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) have doubts if 28-man squads would help players, given it would not stop them from travelling in a matchday squad or ease mental fatigue regardless of whether they play.

In June Uefa, the EFC, FifPro Europe and European Leagues launched a study to better assess different types of injuries, performance levels and player welfare.

Last month FifPro, the world players' union, released its fifth annual report on the issue, looking at how much players played and travelled in 2024-25.

It wrote: "Even if the player does not end up playing any minutes, they still have to be physically present and fully participate in team preparations, mentally prepare, while often spending time away from home and undertaking international travel.

"As such, these occasions are also part of the player's working time commitments."

The EFC represents more than 800 men's and women's clubs from 55 countries, with Paris St-Germain, Inter Milan and Barcelona among those who attended last week.

BBC
 
Agent arrested after player 'threatened with gun'

A football agent has been arrested after allegedly threatening a Premier League footballer with a gun.

The footballer, in his 20s, was targeted in London on 6 September.

The incident has been described as a "horrendous" ordeal for the player - who cannot be legally identified - to deal with.

The player's club are aware of the incident.

Another man is also alleged to have been blackmailed and threatened by the same individual during the incident in question.

No injuries were reported in either incident.

Police were called at 23:14 BST following reports a man had been threatened with a firearm.

The accused, 31, was arrested on 8 September on suspicion of possession of firearms with intent, blackmail and driving without a license.

He has been bailed while enquiries continue.

The Metropolitan Police is investigating the incident.




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Agent arrested after Premier League footballer threatened with a gun

A football agent is arrested after allegedly threatening a Premier League footballer with a gun.
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'Salary cap would be legally challenged by clubs'​

A Premier League proposal to introduce a controversial salary cap will be legally challenged by some clubs, according to the head of the Professional Footballers' Association, who warned it "cannot be imposed unilaterally".

Top-flight clubs will meet next week and are set to vote on whether to replace the existing profit and sustainability rules (PSR) that limit financial losses.

An alternative top-to-bottom anchoring model (TBA) would restrict the amount a club can spend on player wages, agents and transfer fees to five times the income earned from broadcasting and prize money by the bottom club in the league.

If approved, a cap would be imposed on clubs' spending, regardless of their own income.

PFA chief executive Maheta Molango said the players' union is opposed to such a move and claimed it "would not withstand any legal challenge".

He told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: "We have a tendency in football to think that we're above the law, but football is not above the law, and unfortunately the reality is you cannot artificially cap someone's ability to make a living.

"The league knows themselves that even before the PFA does it, there will be clubs within their own room that would also legally challenge that measure, and the only ones who'll end up winning are the lawyers.

"There are ways to agree on things around financial sustainability, but this cannot be imposed unilaterally.

"This needs to be negotiated with the right people and there are some mechanisms that need to be respected."

In response the Premier League said: "We disagree with the PFA's views regarding the proposed financial rules and the extensive consultation process we have been conducting.

"The PFA has had numerous opportunities since March 2024 to provide feedback on, and shape, the proposals...Where the League has received feedback...including the PFA, we have considered it carefully and, where appropriate, incorporated it into formulating the draft rules."

"It is [our] objective to maintain the Premier League's value, competitive balance and ensure clubs operate in a financially sustainable way."

What is the current situation?
TBA is being trialled by the Premier League, alongside a squad cost ratio (SCR) system of financial control that allows clubs to spend a percentage of their total revenues on squad-related costs.

On 21 November its clubs will vote on whether to adopt either or both models, and replace PSR that allow losses of £105m over a three-year reporting cycle.

In February clubs chose to continue with PSR, but it has been criticised by some for limiting their ability to invest.

Nine of the Premier League's 20 clubs must comply with Uefa's SCR rules as a result of qualifying for Europe, and some believe it makes sense to align the regulations.

In order to encourage financial sustainability, Uefa permits participants in its competitions to spend up to 70% of their revenues on their squads, while the Premier League has said it would allow 85%.

BBC Sport has been told that a number of clubs would vote for SCR to be implemented only if it was accompanied by anchoring, so that those with the largest revenues did not get too far ahead of the rest and competitive balance was protected.

Last year 16 clubs voted to conduct detailed analysis of TBA, with only Manchester United, Manchester City and Aston Villa voting against.

All three were known to be concerned that being pinned to the revenue of the league's bottom-placed club would risk putting them at a disadvantage compared to some of their European rivals, who only have to adhere to SCR rules.

'Absurd to inhibit Premier League clubs'
At the time United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said anchoring would "inhibit the top clubs in the Premier League, and the last thing you want is for the top clubs in the Premier League not to be able to compete with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain - that's absurd".

In the 2023-24 season 20th-placed Sheffield United earned about £110m. So last season no top-flight club would have been able to spend more than £550m on player wages, amortised transfer fees and agents combined if TBA had been in force.

Meanwhile, a European club generating revenues of £1bn, for example, would be able to spend £700m, while still adhering to Uefa's SCR rules.

City spent £413m on wages alone last year, with total revenues of £715m. With amortised transfer fees and agents fees added to those outgoings, they could be one of a number of clubs close to a breach if TBA was in force.

Some clubs opposed to TBA are known to fear that it could threaten the Premier League's long-term status, may put some clubs at threat of an immediate breach and could disincentivise growth.

BBC Sport has learned that, under the current proposals, any club breaching the rules for a second time would be sanctioned with a six-point deduction, plus a further point for every £6.5m of overspend.

Clubs opposed to the TBA system say the league's competitive balance is sound as it is, and that some clubs are only in favour because it will mean less money is spent on player wages.

In February the PFA issued what the Premier League described as "legal demands" over concerns it had about the impact that anchoring could have on player contracts if introduced.

In 2021 the PFA's claim that a planned salary cap by the EFL for League One and League Two was "unlawful and unenforceable" was upheld by an independent arbitration panel.

Source: BBC
 
Premier League clubs to be banned from selling assets to themselves

Premier League clubs will no longer be able to sell assets like hotels and women's teams to themselves from next season to get round new financial rules.

It comes after clubs narrowly voted through a new system of Financial Fair Play (FFP) based on squad costs on Friday.

The clubs met in London to vote on three possible methods of replacing Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) got 14 votes in favour and six against, which is the minimum number that is required to exact a rule change.

Overall squad costs from the 2026-27 campaign will have to be limited to 85% of a club's revenue, although teams competing in Europe will have to adhere to Uefa's maximum of 70%.

Squad costs comprise player and manager wages, transfer fees and agents' fees.

Most notably it will end the loophole of selling capital assets, like hotels and women's teams.

Last year Chelsea sold two hotels to a sister company to keep them compliant with PSR.

In July, Everton sold their women's team to the parent company, while reports claim Aston Villa have agreed to do the same.

The assessment will only be based on a club's total earnings from football operations.

Rules around sustainability, which set out a club's financial spending plans over the medium and long term, were passed unanimously.

But anchoring, which would have placed a top limit on spending based on the money earned by the bottom club, failed to get the necessary support. Twelve voted against it, with seven in favour and one abstaining.


www.bbc.com

Premier League clubs to be banned from selling assets to themselves

Clubs will no longer be able to sell assets like hotels and women's teams to themselves from next season as the Premier League moves to a new system of Financial Fair Play.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Premier League clubs urged to freeze ticket prices

More than 100 fan groups have urged Premier League clubs to freeze home ticket prices for the next two seasons.

For the 2024-25 season, 19 of the 20 clubs in the English top flight raised ticket prices, while 13 also did so for the current campaign, prompting 116 supporter organisations to call for a halt on further increases.

Clubs are being asked to freeze prices for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons, share data on ticket pricing and policies with supporters, and hold discussions with fans over future pricing.

A letter published on the Football Supporters' Association website, external reads: "Rising prices are making it harder for regular fans, especially younger generations and working-class communities, to attend matches."

It also highlights the challenges posed by kick-off times being changed to suit television broadcasters, adding: "Matchdays have never been harder to plan for, or more expensive to attend."

It goes on to say that clubs need to "stop the arms race" over ticketing and that "£3bn transfer windows, soaring agent fees and record wages won't be paid for by increases in ticket prices. We understand the commercial realities - but that's exactly why we need to halt the increases and work together on a more-balanced approach".

The document also described an existing £30 cap on away tickets as a "landmark agreement" which has proved ticket price costs could be assessed.

The Chelsea Supporters Trust - one of the signatories of the letter - added: "After two consecutive years of above-inflation ticket hikes that have hit supporters hard, the message is clear: Chelsea must now halt further home ticket price increases.

"By co-signing this statement, we are standing up for a Stamford Bridge that remains accessible, inclusive and alive with the supporters who make Chelsea what it is - today and for generations to come."


www.bbc.com

Premier League clubs urged to freeze ticket prices by fan groups

More than 100 fan groups urge Premier League clubs to freeze home ticket prices for the next two seasons.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 

Gueye red card appeal rejected with 'no reason' given​

The Football Association rejected Everton's appeal against Idrissa Gueye's red card without providing an explanation, David Moyes has said.

Gueye, 36, was shown a straight red card for slapping his own team-mate, Michael Keane, in Everton's 1-0 win at Manchester United on Monday.

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford separated the clashing pair before referee Tony Harrington dismissed Gueye in the 13th minute.

The standard punishment for a dismissal for violent conduct is a three-match suspension, which would mean Gueye misses Premier League games against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.

"We have appealed [against the red card] and our appeal was turned down," Everton manager Moyes told a media conference on Friday.

"We haven't been given any reason why it was turned down, but we did appeal it - immediately."

Gueye has started every Premier League game for Everton this season and is due to join up with Senegal for the Africa Cup of Nations in December.

Moyes is also without German midfielder Merlin Rohl, who recently had hernia surgery, while a minor hamstring issue sidelines captain Seamus Coleman, who was substituted in the first half at Old Trafford amid a season beset by injury concerns.

Everton's Premier League campaign continues at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, when they host Newcastle (17:30 GMT).

Source: BBC
 
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