Newcastle United owners (and others) should be allowed to spend more money – Nick de Marco | OneFootball

Nick de Marco is the main man when it comes to law and the Premier League.

With FFP/PSR ever more prevalent, cases involving football finance law regularly see him called upon.

Nick de Marco KC has worked for more than half of the Premier League clubs, including of course, Newcastle United.

He has given a great interview (see below) to BBC Sport.

Nick de Marco KC, making it clear that he feels there should be a loose upper spending limit for Premier League clubs, to encourage competition and investment.

The Newcastle United owners are namechecked by the top Sports Lawyer, as well as other clubs.

Nick de Marco on what Premier League clubs should be allowed to spend, including ‘state-run’ clubs, speaking to BBC Sport – 3 December 2024:

“There is nothing unsustainable about how Manchester City, Newcastle United or other [similarly owned] clubs are run.

“They are very sustainable.

“The new point people are making is about competition.

“I understand there may need to be some upper caps. But let’s not get diverted into this argument about whether it is state-owned or not, which, of course, there are legal points about.

“Imagine if Elon Musk bought a club in the Premier League. He must have a personal wealth of more than many states in the world now.

“You see how he has taken over Twitter, now X, and completely changed it. He is very powerful. Would it be any different if it was a private individual or a state? I think the focus on state is a bit of a mistake.

“I think owners should be allowed to invest a bit more money if they want to but they have to guarantee it so they can’t just pull the plug.”

Nick de Marco on the idea of a European Super League/Breakaway leagues:

“The European Super League blueprint just did not work.

“But something else will come along at the right moment and it may work.

“Don’t forget, the Premier League was a breakaway league. It was opposed at the time and seen as a few greedy clubs at the top ruining English football.

“But it is actually, despite all the criticisms people have of it, been the most successful football league in the world and brought more money into English football than anything else.

“Breakaway leagues aren’t necessarily a bad thing and they are inevitable as more money comes in and more competitions globalise.”

Nick de Marco on the current Manchester City case where they face 115 Premier League charges, the Sports Lawyer calls for more transparency:

“In the past, everything was behind closed doors.

“Decisions were made with no proper transparency at all, with no due process.

“It has gradually moved on as commercialisation, more money and more professionalism has come in.

“But a lot of sports regulators are very scared of losing control. They think the best way of having control is to do things secretly.

“My view is that doesn’t work in the long run. It makes people suspicious of you.

“I don’t know what is going on in the Manchester City case but let’s imagine a finding comes out later saying they preferred the evidence of one witness to another or that they thought someone was lying to them or someone said an arbitrator was biased.