Premier League clubs vote today on banning associated club loans – New proposal detailed

Premier League clubs are meeting later today.

With a vote set to take place on banning loan transfers from associated-party clubs coming into Premier League clubs.

Whilst clubs such as Manchester City and Brighton have been free to do this for years if they chose to, this panic move coming about purely because of a belief that Newcastle United would bring Ruben Neves in on loan from Al-Hilal, a club that the Saudi Arabia PIF also has a stake / interest in.

The Times reporting that this panic move is being made, even though Newcastle United have made clear they aren’t considering such a move.

For any ban to happen, it will need 14 of the 20 Premier League clubs to vote for it.

Martyn Ziegler is Chief Sports Reporter at The Times and he says his information is: ‘One proposal is that no loans or transfers can take place between associated clubs for at least two transfer windows after a player has been signed.’

The whole thing is such a nonsense and simply embarrassing for certain Premier League clubs to be trying to rush such a ban through, purely because of a perceived fear that Newcastle United might sign somebody.

I think the reality is that if indeed Premier League clubs want to end any perceived unfair advantages a club might have, if the club owners have an interest in more than one club, is to totally ban loan deals in and out from Premier League clubs when it comes to players at associated clubs. Indeed, why not ban such clubs buying and selling between the clubs that they have a stake in?

The Times report – 20 November 2023:

‘The meeting is set to agree a ban on loan transfers from associated-party clubs during the January transfer window amid concerns over preferential deals. The clubs have been recommended to agree to a temporary ban before a permanent policy is decided — 14 of the 20 would need to vote in favour for it to be passed.

It would prevent Newcastle United from taking Rúben Neves on loan from the Saudi club Al-Hilal — both teams are owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund — or Manchester City from securing any loans from other clubs owned by the City Football Group.

There has been speculation that Newcastle could move for Neves to replace Sandro Tonali after the Italy midfielder was banned for ten months for breaching betting rules, but Newcastle say that they have not considered such a move.

One proposal is that no loans or transfers can take place between associated clubs for at least two transfer windows after a player has been signed.

There has been growing concern that multiclub ownership and associated-party deals are providing some clubs with an unfair advantage.’