Calls for PSR to be scrapped – ‘The rules were introduced to stop the Big 6 becoming a Big 8’ | OneFootball

There have now been calls for the Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) to be scrapped.

With a leading football finance expert describing as ‘farcical’ the rules and situation we have now.

Kieran Maguire perfectly pointing out what has become transparently obvious; “The rules were introduced to stop the ‘Big Six’ becoming a ‘Big Eight’ or ‘Big Ten’ and make it difficult for ambitious/aspirational clubs such as Villa, Newcastle and Forest from using owner money to challenge the existing elite by creating a glass ceiling.”

Maguire declaring; “The Premier League PSR rules are about as fit for purpose as a chocolate teapot.”

The football finance expert using Chelsea as the prime example where creative accountants and lawyers exploit the rules/loopholes to allow them to continue doing whatever they want, whilst those outside the ‘Big Six’ see the rules stacked up against them, to prevent challenging those who currently have such a financial/power advantage.

Kieran Maguire has never been afraid to challenge the way the Premier League operates, or call out shameless individuals. Kieran is a Brighton fan and back in August 2018 came out with the brilliant assertion that if then Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley wanted to buy the club he supported – “I’d be soiling myself.”

Yes, football is a messy business and nowhere more so than the Premier League and the appalling way the rules have been set up to deny competition, you just need to look at the finances of Chelsea to see that ‘Profit and Sustainability’ is not what the rules are about.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire explaining why the Premier League needs to call time on PSR – 25 June 2025:

“The Premier League PSR rules are about as fit for purpose as a chocolate teapot. Chelsea FC Holdings made a profit of £128m in 23/24 after selling the women’s team to itself.

“The parent company BlueCo 22 (which owns the men’s team, the women’s team and…Strasbourg) made a loss of £430m in the same period as cannot include intra group transactions in the group accounts.

“Richard Masters keeps a straight face and says Chelsea have not broken any rules…because the rules on these types of deals are full of loopholes.

“If I was Everton or Forest would be livid.

“The rules were introduced to stop the ‘Big Six’ becoming a ‘Big Eight’ or ‘Big Ten’ and make it difficult for ambitious/aspirational clubs such as Villa, Newcastle and Forest from using owner money to challenge the existing elite by creating a glass ceiling.

“Either have rules which have been stress tested to stop exploitation of related party transactions loopholes etc OR scrap them totally.

“What we have is neither and it’s a mess where creative accountants and lawyers are worth as much as players.