Source: REUTERS/David Klein
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, due to the lawsuit between Manchester City and the Premier League, Arsenal and other teams may have to submit key and sensitive financial information. It is reported that as the dispute between Manchester City and the Premier League continues, the agents of Manchester City have requested the Premier League to invoke its rule B18 clause, compelling several clubs including Brighton and Everton to provide detailed information about the loans they received from their owners. Manchester City plans to use this information as evidence in its latest controversy with the Premier League regarding revised sponsorship agreements. Manchester City believes that the new “associated party transaction” (APT) regulations introduced by the Premier League after the previous version was deemed invalid still discriminate against it. Their argument is that shareholder loans give an unfair advantage to clubs receiving such loans (such as Arsenal), as these loans are not subject to the same scrutiny as other commercial transactions. All relevant clubs have been notified of this requirement and are currently waiting for a decision on whether they must comply. Data shows that Arsenal received £259 million in shareholder loans during the 2022-23 season, Liverpool owed owner Fenway Sports Group £71.4 million in 2023, Brighton received approximately £406.5 million in shareholder loans in the 2021-22 season, and Everton’s figure reached £450 million in the 2022-23 season.