In the end, Manchester City were right all along as they claim a significant victory over the Premier League | OneFootball

It has become commonplace over recent years to read and see stories about Manchester City and the Premier League locked in legal ‘battles’. Manchester City’s 115 case is currently awaiting a verdict. But at the same time, City had also launched a legal challenge against the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction rules (APT). But today the Premier League’s APT rules have been ruled void. That is a significant victory for Manchester City and as much as some won’t like to admit it, Manchester City have been right about those rules all along.

Matt Lawton has reported for The Times that the Premier League’s APT rules that were enforced between 2021-2024 have been declared void. The rules were amended in November last year after City’s first legal victory over a section of the APT rules in October of last year. Matt Lawton’s report, which can be found at the above link, lays out the details of today’s ruling by the independent panel that heard the case.

Manchester City have proven that the Premier League is built on a house of cards and where we go next remains to be seen.

The story all along with this case was that a section of the Premier League’s rules was found unlawful. That was the entire story. It never has been that Manchester City challenged those rules. The fact that the Premier League is working with a section of rules that are unlawful and now found void speaks volumes. In essence, the Premier League’s APT rules are built upon a house of cards and that has fallen today. But it didn’t have to be this way. In fact, Manchester City’s legal team did warn the Premier League of this. As Lawton reports City’s legal team did warn the Premier League not to push on with amending the APT rules in November of last year until today’s verdict landed. But that warning was ignored. Now the Premier League finds itself in the position it is right now.

In the end, the Premier League only has itself to blame for the position they find themselves in. Manchester City were right all along in regards to the APT rules the Premier League has enforced. There’s no other way to view today’s ruling. What it means going forward remains to be seen. Whether it leads to legal claims from Manchester City or other clubs will be known in the coming days and weeks. Perhaps Richard Masters’ position is now untenable. But Manchester City were right all along, and the Premier League put itself in the position it now finds itself in.

There is no PR battle to be won or lost that element has now passed. The Premier League ran with a set of rules that were unlawful and are subsequently now void. That’s the story here, nothing else. Manchester City were right all along and where we go from here remains to be seen.