Chelsea will not need to sell players this month to comply with Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) but will need to before next year’s deadline.
Sky Sports had previously reported that Chelsea were among some Premier League clubs who may need to sell players before the June 30 deadline, but Chelsea insist this is not the case.
Sky Sports understands Chelsea will need to make sales to keep in line with PSR for the 2024/2025 season, and the cut off for that is next summer, but they are under no pressure to sell this month.
Chelsea meanwhile have also confirmed the signing of Tosin from Fulham on a four-year contract.
The defender completed a medical earlier this week and will arrive at Stamford Bridge on a free transfer when his contract with Fulham officially expires at the end of June.
Tosin rejected several new contract offers at Craven Cottage before agreeing to become the first signing under new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.
Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire have been left out of England’s final squad for Euro 2024.
Maguire misses out due to a calf injury that has kept him out of action since mid-April, while his Manchester United team-mate Luke Shaw makes the cut despite not having played since February due to a hamstring problem.
Anthony Gordon and Jarrod Bowen have been selected ahead of Man City’s Grealish, a £100m signing from Aston Villa in 2021 and three-time Premier League winner.
James Maddison and Curtis Jones have also been culled with Crystal Palace duo Adam Wharton, uncapped until Monday’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Eberechi Eze preferred, making the Eagles the most-represented club in the squad with four players.
Southgate has picked Marc Guehi, Lewis Dunk, Joe Gomez and Ezri Konsa as potential centre-back partners for John Stones, leaving out Jarrad Branthwaite and Jarell Quansah, though the young Liverpool defender has remained on standby.
Meanwhile, Luke Shaw has made the final 26-player squad with England manager Gareth Southgate confirming that the left-back could be fit for the Three Lions’ second group game with Denmark on June 20.
England’s Declan Rice says there’s no bitterness from the players left out of Gareth Southgate’s final 26-player squad.
Manchester Unitedteenager Kobbie Mainoo, who made his international debut against Brazil in March, has also been selected, while Southgate has opted to take Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins as deputies to Harry Kane.
England can make late replacements to their squad until their first game at the Euros on June 16 against Serbia if a player has been injured or falls sick, while goalkeepers can be changed throughout the tournament.
England’s final 26-player squad for Euro 2024
Sky Sports senior reporter Rob Dorsett analyses Gareth Southgate’s final 26-player squad for Euro 2024.
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal).
Defenders: Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City).
Forwards: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
Southgate explains his calls
Gareth Southgate explains the reasons behind the inclusion Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney in his final 26-player Euro 2024 squad.
England manager Gareth Southgate, speaking at a news conference after the announcement:
“All of the players [not included] took the news really respectfully. All players of course will feel they should have been in and that’s why they’re top players because they have that self-belief and they have that mindset.
“The fact is we’ve got some players who have been playing extremely well all season in the league and we just feel other players have had stronger seasons – particularly in the past six months or so.
“We saw some fantastic performances the other night which underlined some of that and in the attacking area of the pitch we’re blessed with a lot of options and they’re all slightly different.
England manager Gareth Southgate discusses the reasons behind some of the omissions from his 26-man squad for Euro 2024.
“Madders [Maddison] and Jack [Grealish] would have provided us with something different as well and they’ve been tough calls.
“They’re calls we’ve gone over and over and over as a group of staff to try to be fair and to try to use the right rationale.
“We back our decisions but we recognise we could have gone a different route. The boys are big characters, fabulous team-mates and great boys to work with. It’s sad to have to deliver that news to them.
Declan Rice heaps praise on England teammate Adam Wharton after the Crystal Palace midfielder made Gareth Southgate’s 26-player Euro 2024 squad.
“Trent can play both [in midfield and defence], we had nine defenders in the last couple of tournaments so I think we’re the same now.
“That was part of the reason we couldn’t take Harry Maguire. We would’ve had to take a 10th defender, and that balance wouldn’t have been right, it would’ve left us short in other areas.
“Harry has made some progress, but it’s been complicated and we wouldn’t have had him in the group stages. There were too many hurdles to get through without being clear where we might get to.
“Knowing we haven’t got a clean bill of health across the rest of the backline, we need players who are fit and ready to go from the start.
“It was a really difficult call, you know how I feel about Harry, what he’s done for England and for me as a manager. It’s a slightly different case to [Grealish and Maddison], but it’s no easier.”
Maguire ‘devastated’ & Maddison surprised
“I am devastated not to have been selected to play for England at the Euros this summer,” Maguire posted on social media.
“Despite my best efforts, I have not been able to overcome an injury to my calf. Maybe I pushed myself too hard, to try and make it. Simply, I am absolutely gutted.”
Maddison tweeted earlier: “Devastated doesn’t quite cut it. Trained well and worked hard all week but if I’m honest with myself, my form for Spurs when coming back from injury in the second half of the season probably wasn’t at the levels I had set which gave Gareth a decision to make.
“I still thought there would be a space for me in a 26-man squad as I feel I bring something different & had been a mainstay in this whole qualifying campaign.”
Analysis: Snub an unexpected blow for Grealish
Sky Sports News senior reporter Rob Dorsett provides an update on Gareth Southgate’s final Euros squad.
Sky Sports News senior reporter Rob Dorsett:
“It’s a big blow to Grealish and it is unexpected. Grealish himself decided to turn up early for training as part of the Manchester City squad that was part of the FA Cup final.
“He arrived at the earliest opportunity to try to prove his fitness and show how desperate he was to be part of this squad but Southgate feels he has better options elsewhere.
“The performance of Eberechi Eze against Bosnia showed how he offers something different to some of the other options Southgate has at his disposal.
“He’s very direct and commits defenders while running at pace. Perhaps Maddison and Grealish are a little too similar in the way they cut in off the left.
“They don’t go at the same pace and with the same directness that Eze does while I think the fact Jarrod Bowen played the entirety of that match is significant.”
Carragher disagrees on Branthwaite: He is England’s present and future
The key dates for England
All times BST
Friday June 7 – International friendly, England vs Iceland at Wembley, kick-off 7.45pm
Friday June 7 – Final 26-player squad submitted to UEFA
Saturday June 8 – Final 26-player squad announced
Monday June 10 – England squad fly to Germany
Saturday June 16 – Serbia vs England, Gelsenkirchen, kick-off 8pm
Thursday June 20 – Denmark vs England, Frankfurt, kick-off 5pm
Tuesday June 25 – England vs Slovenia, kick-off 8pm
Marcus Rashford’s omission from the provisional squad was the first clue that Gareth Southgate might be approaching this tournament differently. Now we know it for sure.
There was a perception that young newcomers such as Adam Wharton would be the ones to make way when the squad was cut to 26. Instead, there have been high-profile casualties.
James Maddison’s omission, having been, in his words, a “mainstay” during England’s qualifying campaign was another big call and it was followed by an even bigger one as Jack Grealish, fresh from an impressive cameo against Bosnia and Herzegovina, was axed as well.
In Rashford, the frozen-out Raheem Sterling, Grealish and Maddison, Southgate has chosen to go without an attacking quartet with a combined total of 185 England caps and 39 goals.
There are changes afoot in midfield, too. Gone are Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips, to whom Southgate was criticised for remaining loyal, replaced by the next generation.
Now we are wondering whether Kobbie Mainoo or Wharton might complete the central three alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham. Trent Alexander-Arnold, once shunned for his perceived defensive deficiencies, has been embraced as another midfield option.
Harry Maguire’s omission is not by choice. His calf injury has done for him. But his omission, added to those of so many other big names, adds to the fresh feel of this England squad. Southgate has changed tack. To many, this boldness is overdue. Nick Wright
Southgate rips up England’s left-hand side
Image: Jack Grealish has missed out on a place at Euro 2024
In the 2022 World Cup, Gareth Southgate took four left-wing options: Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford, James Maddison and Jack Grealish. Now just one remains for this summer’s Euros.
Rashford and Grealish both played and scored for England in Qatar. They were key players for the Three Lions at the last Euros which saw them reach the final. But Rashford was left out of the provisional squad due to not having a good enough season, and it appears Grealish has fallen to the same fate.
Now it leaves Foden, the Premier League Player of the Season, as the clear frontrunner to start on that left-hand side in Germany, and Southgate hinted last month that the Manchester City attacker will be allowed to drift inside.
But if England need a natural left-winger then it will be Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze that Southgate will call upon. Both made first England starts in that position recently and both impressed.
England have options at left wing and it’s the same at left-back. Luke Shaw reportedly being fit enough is a boost but, just like at Euro 2020, Kieran Trippier may have to start the tournament in that role to allow England’s first-choice left-back to recover. Joe Gomez is the backline defensive utility man as emergency cover.
Will a brand new left flank bring a change in England’s fortunes at major tournaments? Sam Blitz
Who takes final midfield spot?
Image: Is Trent Alexander-Arnold the midfield solution for England?
Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham are expected to be part of a three-man England midfield, but Southgate is overloaded with options for the remaining spot.
Phil Foden’s scintillating season playing in a free role for Manchester City has increased calls for him to be utilised in the same way. Foden, though, has often featured on the left for England, yet with Eberechi Eze and Anthony Gordon on the plane, perhaps he is lined up to play in the middle.
The same applies to Cole Palmer, who likes to drift inside from the right, but may be seen by Southgate as cover for Bukayo Saka along with Jarrod Bowen.
Southgate has experimented with Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield and he shone against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday. However, the right-back is untested in major tournaments.
Conor Gallagher can play further forward through the middle, but he appears to be a direct replacement for the energetic No 8 role that Jordan Henderson used to deliver alongside Rice – one that Southgate could always rely on.
Then there are the new kids on the block to consider: Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton. Both bring a calmness in possession. Their inclusions could be a watching brief for future tournaments.
Without doubt, Southgate has a solution for every eventuality. David Richardson
Watkins and Toney a surprise
Image: Ollie Watkins started against Bosnia and Herzegovina
A key question since the turn of the year had been whether there would be space for both Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney in England’s squad for Euro 2024.
In March, ahead of the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, even Southgate wasn’t sure. Asked whether there would be space for both this summer, Southgate said: “Maybe, maybe not. I genuinely don’t know the answer to that. That will depend on what kind of profile we need, what the profiles of the rest of the squad [members] are, whether we need a couple of players that are adaptable in a couple of positions and we can pick specialists in certain other positions.”
However, with squads extended to 26 players, both will now feature as understudies to captain Harry Kane, giving England a number of differing options in Germany.
Toney’s goal-scoring performance against Belgium obviously left a big impression on Southgate. After some strong showings for Brentford in the early weeks after his return from an eight-month ban, the goals did dry up for the 28-year-old, who failed to score in his last seven Premier League outings.
He is more of a like-for-like replacement should anything happen to Kane, but he does also provide a physical alternative to the Bayern Munich striker. His quality from the penalty spot is also a good option to have with shootouts potentially around the corner.
In the end, Watkins’ pace and his goal-scoring prowess also made him difficult to leave out. His 19 goals this season helped propel Aston Villa into the Champions League, and that form has rightly been rewarded.
Southgate has gone for variety in attack and that could be crucial with the target a deep, deep run at this tournament. Oliver Yew
Guehi to fill Maguire void?
Sky Sports News’ senior reporter Rob Dorsett provides an update on England’s Euro 2024 squad as Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire are omitted
Harry Maguire’s unavailability for the tournament is a significant blow for Southgate, who has remained loyal to the Manchester United defender even through his toughest periods.
The England boss has avoided the nightmare scenario of not having John Stones available either, with the Manchester City man having returned from a spell out for the FA Cup final.
But he has a major decision to make on who partners him and the leading candidate appears to be Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, who has already seen off competition from fellow left-sided centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, the final player to be cut from the provisional list.
Guehi, like Stones, has only recently returned from injury having been sidelined by a knee problem in the second half of the campaign but he got the nod alongside Lewis Dunk against Bosnia and Herzegovina, winning his 10th senior cap under Southgate, a number which reflects his standing.
Dunk, by contrast, only has six caps. Guehi beats Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa (three caps) for experience too. Joe Gomez, meanwhile, although more experienced, with 14 caps, appears more likely to be used as a back-up full-back having played there all season for Liverpool.
Southgate loves Guehi’s understated style and has spoken glowingly of his temperament. “He has played with great maturity,” he said after starts against Ukraine and Scotland in October.
“At times he might not catch the eye in the way some other players do because he’s in the right place, so he’s not having to turn and cover for something that’s gone wrong. He’s a very calm player, positionally excellent, composed with the ball, and with a very good mentality.”
The hope for Southgate is that, in the absence of Maguire, all of those qualities will shine through on the stage of a major tournament. Nick Wright
Bowen hits bullseye after Qatar snub
Jarrod Bowen spoke to Sky Sports after playing in the 3-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina
“Of course [not being selected for the World Cup] makes me want it more.”
You could see the desire in Jarrod Bowen’s eyes when he delivered that statement to Sky Sports News after England’s 3-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday.
Bowen was first capped by Gareth Southgate in June 2022, but missed out on selection for that winter’s World Cup in Qatar.
The West Ham forward added: “I don’t know if I’m a better player, but I’m just more mature as a player and I think that comes with age, with the games that you play and confidence you gain from every opportunity you have here [with England].”
But he’s off to Germany – ousting some serious talents in Jack Grealish and James Maddison to get his chance at a major tournament. He deserves it too after kicking on again with West Ham.
Following his winning goal in the Europa Conference League final for the Hammers a year ago, Bowen has scored 20 goals this campaign and grabbed 10 assists. In a very inconsistent team, Bowen has remained consistent. He offers England an alternative option to Bukayo Saka coming from the right flank. Lewis Jones
Daring Wharton deserves his place
“I like the fact he sees pictures early, he plays forward.”
When Gareth Southgate said those words, you had the feeling he would pick Adam Wharton in his final England squad.
The 20-year-old’s England debut against Bosnia and Herzegovina showed exactly what the Crystal Palace midfielder can bring. He completed all 38 of his passes – but crucially, 32 per cent of them were forward.
Wharton is not a player who simply passes and plays it safe. He plays through the lines and unlocks defences. Against Bosnia and Herzegovina, a stunning first-time outside-of-the-boot cross nearly found Jarrod Bowen for a tap-in. This young man dares.
The young midfielder likely won’t start for England in Germany but Southgate knows that if he needs a player to find the missing ingredient when chasing a lead or playing a low-block defence, then Wharton is that player.
And can he handle the pressure? Well recent history shows he can. Wharton excelled as Palace stunned Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield two months ago, provoking Jamie Carragher to call him “outstanding” and a “real standout”.
Wharton is on the brink of a breakout summer. Sam Blitz
As a young rugby league player growing up a well-placed drop kick away from the DW Stadium, Junior Nsemba would study what Willie Isa was doing. Now he gets to learn from the Wigan Warriors second row first-hand as one of the Betfred Super League champions’ emerging talents.
Standing at 6ft 5in tall, the 19-year-old is an imposing presence on the field as it is, let alone having former Samoa international Isa, a stalwart of the Wigan back row for nine seasons and counting, providing a guiding hand to help him hone his skills.
Isa will no doubt be proud that Nsemba has shown himself more than capable of filling his place in the Warriors pack during his injury-enforced absence, and on top of that the former Wigan St Judes junior now has a Wembley appearance in Saturday’s Betfred Challenge Cup final to look forward to.
“I’ve got my chance this year and I feel like I’ve grabbed it with two hands,” Nsemba told Sky Sports. “I feel like I’m doing a good job of covering Willie’s position.
“He’s a mentor to me. When I was younger, trying to decide between football and rugby, I was watching Willie and when I did start playing rugby professionally, I was happy with that.
“Willie has been there and is still doing it, so he’s just teaching me what he knows.”
Although it is now his chosen career, rugby league was not part of Nsemba’s early sporting life. His father played volleyball in Cameroon before emigrating to the UK, his mother was a runner, and his uncle by marriage is none other than former Cameroon and Liverpool footballer Rigobert Song.
Wigan Warriors’ Junior Nsemba shared how it felt to score his first Super League try after earning player of the match against Leigh Leopards
Had things worked out differently, Nsemba could well have followed Song into football. However, from the moment he joined St Judes aged 11, he felt like he belonged on and off the rugby field, and when the time came to choose between the round or oval ball two years later, it ultimately proved a simple decision.
“I feel like when I was younger, I was always wanting to do something, wanting to move about and play a game,” Nsemba said. “Even if I wasn’t good at it, I just liked to be active.
“I feel like I get that from both my mum and dad, but when I was in rugby the culture made me love the sport a bit more.
“As well as the boys, it was the way they were wholesome, and family orientated. It was nice to be in a sport where I knew I could bring my family.
You’ve got to have attributes to play rugby like strength, speed and agility – it’s amazing and I just love it.
“When I got my hands on a rugby ball, I felt like it was for me. It’s how intense the sport is, how fast, how there are different factors to it. You’ve got to have attributes to play rugby like strength, speed and agility – it’s amazing and I just love it.”
Nsemba will have 15 people cheering him on at Wembley on Saturday, not mention members of the extended family in Cameroon who will either be finding a way to watch the clash with Warrington Wolves online or waiting for him to send a copy of the broadcast over to them.
No club is as synonymous with the Challenge Cup as Wigan, who are going for a record-extending 21st success in rugby league’s oldest and most prestigious knockout competition, and expectations are high as Matt Peet’s side seek to add it to the Super League title, League Leaders’ Shield, and World Challenge titles they already hold.
There was a time when a trip to Wembley for the cup final was an annual event for the club, but as far as Nsemba is concerned just reaching this stage is an achievement for both him and the club even with the perennial expectations the Warriors will be competing for the sport’s leading honours.
Highlights of Wigan Warriors’ 19-18 win over Warrington Wolves in last Saturday’s Betfred Super League match
“The club have won a lot in the past, but I feel personally that getting to Wembley is a big achievement for the club and myself,” Nsemba said.
“It’s something very big that we’ve done and I’m happy for the boys that the hard work is paying off.
“Wigan and Warrington have a big rivalry, and I feel like we’re both going to rise to the occasion. It’s a big occasion, both teams are going to turn up, and it’s going to be a good game to watch.”
Watch every match of the 2024 Betfred Super League season, including Magic Weekend, the play-offs, and men’s, women’s, and wheelchair Grand Finals, live on Sky Sports. Also stream with NOW.
Since 2002 the transfer window has been an integral, at times even overbearing, part of British football.
From some time in early June to August 31, and for the entire month of January, clubs can finally do their business at will. Star players can finally hope they get their big move, fringe players can finally look to get some game-time elsewhere – and managers can finally find out whether their chairmen will loosen the purse strings after all.
Both windows have remained largely untouched for more than two decades, but now a third date has popped up on the transfer calendar: June 30.
Totally aside from the transfer window itself, this date marks the end of the accounting period for each league season.
That’s the date clubs must have their finances sufficiently in order to pass the Premier League and Championship’s respective Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) checks – with Everton and Nottingham Forest’s points deductions two recent examples of what happens when they don’t.
Those rules have begun to bite over the last few years creating an array of suddenly more pressing issues for CEOs, managers and, indirectly, players in the process.
So let’s talk you through the big issues surrounding English football’s ‘proxy’ deadline day…
Why is June 30 so important for clubs?
Under current spending rules – which are set to change at some point in the near future – clubs are allowed to make certain losses across a three-year period, which are calculated up to the end of June 30 of any given year.
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol explains the proposed changes to Profit and Sustainability laws in the Premier League
In the Premier League, this amounts to £105m. In the Championship, it’s much less at £39m.
League One and League Two operate under a different set of rules, which include a wage cap and spending limit tied to the amount of money they make every year.
The Premier League and Championship ‘losses’ don’t include everything. The upkeep of a stadium or building a new one, spending on the academy or associated women’s team and anything which the leagues define as “for the general interest of the club and football” all get left out.
There can be grey areas here, but if clubs believe they are in danger of breaching the rules, then they need to do something about it before July 1 rolls around. And the quickest of those fixes normally involves selling players.
Who’s at risk this summer?
Sky Sports News understands six clubs – Everton, Nottm Forest, Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Leicester, face having to sell players before the end of June in order to comply with PSR
Leicester already face a potential points deduction for breaking PSR rules up to the end of the 2022/23 season, when they were relegated to the Championship.
All six clubs are under pressure to sell players before the June 30 deadline to meet the £105m allowable loss.
Will clubs be forced to sell players on the cheap?
There is certainly a chance of this. Not only do clubs worried about breaching PSR have a limited time to improve their financial situation, but the clubs who want to buy their players know this too.
To drive a harder bargain, clubs are known to keep tabs on one another’s finances to get an idea of how much pressure selling clubs are under, especially at this time of year.
Everton’s director of football Kevin Thelwell has already publicly admitted players “will be sold” this summer, and asked for “patience and understanding” from the club’s fans as they look to improve their financial footing.
“Those clubs who have players on very lucrative contracts will face some challenging times,” football finance expert Kieran Maguire told the Transfer Talk podcast. “Who’s going to be willing to match the wages that these players are on?
“And from a player’s perspective, they want to know why they should take a pay cut just to help the club they’re currently playing for to comply with PSR.”
Image: Jarrad Branthwaite is one of three players Everton are considering selling before the June 30 deadline
Why are homegrown players more likely to be sold?
For accounting purposes, selling an academy product is a much simpler way for a club to make a profit – and therefore reduce losses – than selling a player they had previously bought.
This is because when a player is sold, the ‘profit’ they bring in is offset against what is called their ‘book value’. This involves a process called amortisation, which is discussed in further detail here.
In simple terms, it means their calculated ‘value’, which is relative to their original purchase price and how much of their contract is left, taken off the amount they are sold for – reducing any financial bonus for the selling club.
For instance, a player who was bought for £50m on a five-year contract decreases in value by £10m every season under amortisation.
If they were sold after three years, their book value would be £20m – and this would be deducted from whatever their sale price was. So if they were sold for £30m, they could only bank a profit of £10m.
A player who has come through the club’s academy would not have the same issue. The profit in that deal would be recorded as the full £30m.
Could clubs just take a points deduction instead of complying?
This has been mooted outside of the game and probably thought about in some Premier League boardrooms but it is, in no uncertain terms, a risky strategy.
Say you have a player who you believe is worth five or six points to you in a season, a star man. Selling him would bring you in line with PSR limits for one season, but you have lost your best player for good. It could be tempting.
However, as we’ve seen in the season which has just finished, predicting what sanctions clubs will face for PSR breaches is difficult to predict.
For instance, Nottm Forest were docked four points earlier this season for a PSR breach of £34.5m, while Everton’s first charge saw them penalised with a 10-point deduction – albeit later reduced to six – for overspending by £16.6m, less than half that figure.
“It’s a risk to take,” Maguire told Transfer Talk. “What happens if the player [being kept] has a loss of form, and when you’re starting the season on minus six points you’re already going into the season with a very different mindset.
“It could be that the player themselves becomes unsettled, which impacts on their performance. We fall into a trap as fans of viewing players as commodities to be bought and sold.
“I’ve not seen anyone within the industry itself say they’re willing to take that risk, but I am certain everyone is doing their sums.
“Some clubs might take the view a player is so good he’s worth a minimum of eight points per season, and it might be the worth of taking a six-point deduction.”
Separately, part of Forest’s defence against their deduction centred around the sale of Brennan Johnson, who they said could have left the club before last summer’s June 30 cut-off.
Solhekol explains why Nottm Forest’s appeal against their four-point Premier League points deduction last season failed
Forest’s argument suggested they could have complied with PSR, but claimed the one offer they received for him before the deadline, from Atletico Madrid, was below his market value.
They justified their decision by referencing the £47.5m they received from Tottenham when they eventually sold him on September 1 as “golden mitigation”.
This was rejected by the Premier League panel, but that does not mean other clubs will not try similar tactics in the future.
Hibernian’s Scottish Cup-winning captain David Gray has been appointed as the club’s new head coach on a three-year deal.
The 36-year-old was in his fourth stint as temporary boss after replacing Nick Montgomery who was sacked last month and led the club to a 3-0 win over Motherwell before a 1-1 draw against Livingston.
Gray, who retired from playing three years ago to focus on coaching, became a club legend when he scored the winner against Rangers in 2016 to end their 114-year wait to lift the Scottish Cup.
Gray led Hibernian to a famous win over Rangers in the 2016 Scottish Cup final
He first took interim charge after Jack Ross was dismissed in 2021 and again when his replacement Shaun Maloney was sacked four months later.
Gray – who then stepped up again following Lee Johnson’s dismissal – will work under the Easter Road club’s new sporting director Malky Mackay who led the search for Hibs’ sixth permanent boss since November 2019.
“It is a real privilege for me to become the head coach of this great football club,” said Gray.
“Everyone knows how much Hibs means to me. It is a massive club with a phenomenal fanbase, that I know very well – so to be given this opportunity is a true honour.
“From being here as a player and a coach for over 10 years, I know what a successful Hibs team looks like and I am determined to succeed and take our club forward.”
Image: Malky MacKay (right) is the new Hibernian sporting director
Since taking over at Hibernian, the Gordon family have sacked Paul Heckingbottom, Ross, Maloney, Johnson and Montgomery in less than five years.
On the appointment of David Gray, Mackay said: “Following a robust recruitment process, David emerged as our preferred candidate and we are delighted to have him on board.
“Having watched his progression closely over a number of years, David’s ready to step up and become Hibernian FC’s Head Coach.
“David understands the pressures and demands that come with a club like Hibs, knows Scottish football inside out, is an excellent coach and a strong man manager.
“He already has good relationships with the current playing squad and members of staff both at HTC and Easter Road, which provides an element of stability, and we know he’s the right man for the job.”
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Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has added New York Red Bulls star Lewis Morgan to his provisional squad ahead of Euro 2024.
The 27-year-old – who has nine goals and three assists to his name this season – has been used as a forward in the MLS.
Morgan last played for the national team in 2018 and joins the group following the withdrawals of forwards Lyndon Dykes and Ben Doak.
Clarke had already called up Bristol City’s Tommy Conway in place of Doak – with Morgan now added to a 28-man group which must be cut to 26 after Friday’s friendly against Finland.
More to follow…
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Entering the Manchester United academy, a famous factory of talent that produced the Busby Babes and the Class of ’92, is no mean feat.
But of the thousands of kids that spend time at a club of United’s size, only a handful will possess the talent, drive and fortune to make it as professional footballers. Even fewer still will progress to the United first team.
That alone speaks to Mainoo’s technical and mental qualities – all of which were apparent to Nick Cox, United’s academy director.
“All of our boys are high-potential but you certainly could see that Kobbie had some attributes that meant we wanted to continue working with him,” he tells Sky Sports.
“As time unfolded, it became clear he potentially had the ability to go on and play for our first team.
“On the pitch – even as a little ‘un – he was then what he is now. He’s mastered the ball – he manipulates it brilliantly.
“You could tell he had athletic potential and now you see a powerful, explosive player.
“As a little kid, we were waiting for that to come, but we could sense it was a matter of time.”
Not that Mainoo had been dominating the midfield from an early age. “As a youngster, he was a centre-forward and scored a lot of goals,” revealed Cox.
“I’ve seen him play in all sorts of attacking positions. Around the age of 15, 16, he was more of an attacking midfielder.”
Not that United was Mainoo’s only focus. He continued to play for Shots, a grassroots club coached by Paul Newton, who previously worked with Mainoo at Cheadle and Gatley.
Kobbie Mainoo may be known all over Europe now but Shots was home to some famous names – Kai Rooney, Jacey Carrick, Ben Aguero, Roman Walker and Tyler and Jack Fletcher have all been through the club.
But Mainoo’s ability to make a name for himself was in evidence back in 2017, when he scored the winning goal as Shots claimed the North West Junior Champions League – a competition Newton said he had been trying to win for a decade.
The future of VAR is on the agenda as Premier League clubs meet for their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday morning.
All 20 top-flight clubs will meet to decide whether to abolish VAR after Wolves called for a vote to get rid of it.
Wolves have been on the end of several controversial refereeing decisions this season and believe the decision review system is “undermining the value of the Premier League brand”.
It is not expected that clubs will come close to receiving the 14 votes required to scrap it. The majority of clubs favour VAR but want improvements made to it.
Premier League stats earlier this season showed correct decisions had increased from 82 to 96 per cent under VAR, with Tony Scholes, the Premier League’s chief football officer, telling Sky Sports in February: “VAR is, and remains, a very effective tool in supporting the match officials on the pitch.”
However, Scholes did also admit: “We are doing too many checks, we’re taking too long in doing them as well. It’s to a degree understandable, given the level of scrutiny these guys are under.
Premier League managers have their say on the question of whether or not the league should stick with VAR
“But the reviews are taking too long and it’s affecting the flow of the game and we’re extremely aware of that and the need to improve that speed while always maintaining the accuracy.”
In Thursday’s meeting, PGMOL chief Howard Webb and Scholes will outline six areas in which they will seek to improve upon VAR moving forward this coming season.
What else is being discussed at the Premier League AGM?
New clubs sworn in: The first point on the agenda at the Premier League meeting is the newly promoted clubs – Leicester City, Ipswich and Southampton – will officially be confirmed as Premier League clubs.
All three will receive their single share, giving them an equal vote on all matters.
Anchoring to be introduced: Clubs will wave through plans for a new “anchoring” system to run in shadow in 2024/25.
What is ‘anchoring’?
In its purest and simple form, anchoring means all clubs would only be able to spend a maximum of the multiple of what the bottom club earns in TV revenue.
At the moment, the bottom club gets £103.6m. If the anchoring multiple, and this has been discussed, is going to be 4.5, then you would do £103.6m x 4.5, which results in £466m.
So £466m would be the spending cap in that instance. That is the maximum cap on what clubs would be allowed to spend on wages, amortised transfer fees and also agent fees.
The details are still to be ironed out, so the multiple may not necessarily be 4.5. This is what is being worked on at the moment.
There will be no punishment for any financial breach of this system within this period. However, clubs can still expect to be charged if they fall foul of the current Profit & Sustainability rules (PSR).
This shadow period will allow time for the system to be evaluated and for the PFA to be consulted. The PFA are concerned about a hard salary cap being introduced.
There will not be a vote on whether it will be fully introduced for the 2025/26 season at this stage.
Two PSR Votes: Two potential amendments to the current PSR rules for this coming campaign will be voted on but are unlikely to be approved by clubs.
First proposed amendment: Aston Villa wish to raise the upper threshold for permitted losses over a three-year period from £105m to £135m.
Second proposed amendment: Crystal Palace have proposed an alternative amendment to raise the permitted lost limit.
Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor has called for changes to the spending restrictions placed on Premier League clubs. (Video courtesy of Financial Times)
Palace’s idea is to alter PSR rules to allow clubs in Europe to claim the difference in UEFA coefficient funding between themselves and the top clubs in the division as allowable losses.
Current UEFA coefficient payments are based on a club’s last 10 years of performances in Europe and therefore benefit traditional elite clubs and disadvantage recent qualifiers – such as Villa.
Will Man City’s legal case against the Premier League be discussed?
As Sky Sports News reported on Wednesday, it is very unlikely Manchester City’s unprecedented legal challenge against the Premier League will be on the agenda.
However, it’s likely to be a hot topic of discussion among executives outside the formal meeting room.
With Manchester City taking legal action against the Premier League, Sky Sports aims to answer the key questions following the unprecedented move.
City are attempting to end the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, with a two-week arbitration hearing beginning on Monday.
The claim comes amid 115 Premier League charges against Man City over alleged breaches of financial rules with a hearing set for November, according to The Times, who first broke the legal action story on Tuesday.
In a special Q&A, Sky Sports News senior reporter Geraint Hughes and football finance expert Kieran Maguire answer all the important questions regarding Man City’s legal action against the Premier League…
What are Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules?
Hughes: “It’s all to do with money and commercial revenue that’s brought in by a club. In this case, it’s commercial revenue that the club receives from a company that has a connection to that club. The best example to give on this is Manchester City having a sponsorship deal with the airline Etihad Airways, which has links with the club’s Abu Dhabi owners.
“In the Premier League handbook, how a fair price is determined for commercial revenue like sponsorship is through an independent company. They set a parameter, look at that deal, investigate it, interrogate it, audit it and they will see whether that deal is fair or not.
“What Man City are saying is that it is unfair. It is anti-competitive. It is anti-business. It is not in line with UK business law. They are arguing that there shouldn’t be a statutory rule and you should be able to bring in what you find from that sponsorship.”
What are the Associated Party Transaction rules?
The Premier League’s rules require any club, its players, manager or any ‘senior official’ to run dealings with ‘associated parties’ past them.
‘Associated parties’ are companies or people who have a significant interest in the relevant club, financially or otherwise.
The Premier League’s board then reviews each transaction, to assess whether it believes they represent a fair market value.
The league says the rule helps to build “fairness” across the division, by ending a “reliance on enhanced commercial revenues linked to the club’s ownership”.
Why did the Premier League implement APT rules?
Maguire: “The Premier League confirmed in February the new rules, but this is carrying on from rules that were introduced very shortly after Newcastle United were acquired by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
“That appeared to be a knee-jerk reaction from the Premier League clubs who were concerned that Newcastle would sign commercial contracts with partners and sponsors in the Middle East that would be towards the upper-end of the scale and therefore that would give them a competitive advantage.
“That was seen to some extent as effectively shutting down Newcastle’s ability, and Manchester City were interested observers at that point. They weren’t keen on the rules then and they are now moving a couple of years later to see how things will happen going forward.”
Why have Man City gone to such an extreme to sue the Premier League?
Maguire: “Manchester City feel that they have historically been disadvantaged – as have many clubs. We’ve had spectacular success in the Premier League which has allowed the creation of global brands such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and so on.
“If Manchester City want to be competitive with those clubs, they’ve had to go through the commercial route and with owners’ assistance as opposed to building a global fanbase first and maintaining it.
“City also feel that they have a disadvantage being in Manchester. They will point out that ticket prices at the Etihad are much cheaper than at the London clubs because London is a bigger tourist market and has a price premium and therefore being able to compete on the commercial side of things gives them an opportunity to be at the top table, where they want to be.
“They’re not saying they want to be ahead of the competition but on a par with them as otherwise you end up with a duopoly. We have now arguably a Big Seven, given the Newcastle takeover.”
What do the other Premier League clubs make of this?
Hughes: “We’re finding that the majority of the Premier League are actually in favour of backing the Premier League’s position on the APT rules have been.
“In fact, one Premier League executive has said that if those rules are scrapped then it would be like the Wild West – the idea that a club’s ability would be unlimited for things like player transfers or player wages, and you couldn’t control it.
“The Premier League are going to vigorously fight this.”
How will next week’s hearing work?
Sky Sports News’ Geraint Hughes explains why Manchester City have opted to launch legal action against the Premier League over their financial rules
Hughes: “Arbitration, in its simplest form, can be used in many ways between companies, individuals and employment. In this case, it’s over a dispute about rules and It’s a way of avoiding court. It could well end up in court, but essentially what happens is Manchester City here are the claimant and the Premier League are the responder, and this arbitration panel will have somebody who effectively acts as a judge.
“It doesn’t happen in a courtroom. It can happen in any room anywhere in the country. But the hearing, however long it lasts, effectively becomes a courtroom.
“They will hear the arguments from both sides here. Manchester City and the Premier League will outline their positions, they’ll hear evidence from witnesses that are brought by both parties either written or oral, that’s determined by the arbitration panel.
“It is independent and their decision is called an award. Now it’s legally binding, but arbitration is a way of keeping things out of court. If it’s not satisfactory for either side, however, then going to court is an option.
“In terms of when an award will be made then that is literally how long is a piece of string. So it could be quick or it could be very long.”
What do Man City need to prove in order for their complaint to be justified?
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire outlines why Manchester City have opted to launch legal action against the Premier League over their financial rules
Maguire: “City need to prove that the extension of the rules under these associated parties is anti-competition and is preventing them from going out to the markets in the Middle East and other international parties to negotiate contracts and sponsorship deals.
“City’s argument is that if the rules in their current form if applied can take many months to sign off and therefore their potential partners will go elsewhere – LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A – because City will say they are in a competitive global market for commercial partners.”
What could be the implications of this legal action?
Speaking on Saturday June 1, Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak believes the recent restrictions on buying players will see fewer transfers and loan deals this summer
Hughes: “If City lose this then they can go to the courts, which will be even more expensive and even more time consuming than this.
“If they are successful, it could mean there wouldn’t be a Premier League rule in the Premier League handbook about it. That is a possibility, but if they are not successful, it stays in the rulebook and it goes to the majority vote which requires 14 of the 20 clubs to vote in favour of something to pass a new rule or regulation.”
If City lose this legal battle, could that open the door to a European Super League?
Maguire: “Manchester City were always very reluctant partners among the six clubs that initially chose to join the European Super League. If, however, they lose this case and they feel that their position in the Premier League has been disadvantaged to such an extent that they might look at other alternatives, that is a business decision to make.
“There’s no indication from City that it is a route they would consider. They were one of the first clubs to drop out of the European Super League when it began to crumble.”
Could an Independent Football Regulator impact on a case like this?
Hughes: “The short answer is yes and no, because it depends what kind of independent regulator for English men’s football that it gets. You could get an independent light which is not interventionist at all, allows the Premier League to set their own financial rules and allows those clubs to work within it.
“Or there is a regulator who could be quite heavy on intervention, and in that case, they may well have a say in the rules that are set by the Premier League.”
Is this legal action linked to the 115 charges case?
Speaking on Saturday, June 1, Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak described the 115 charges that the club face as ‘frustrating’ but that they will respect the process
Hughes: “They are completely separate. However, this is the legal world and there are grey areas, so an award from this arbitration panel in favour of Manchester City or the Premier League then lawyers will argue that could have some bearing on some of the chunk of those 115 charges.
“They are absolutely separate, but positives that could be taken or perceived to be taken by a party, either Manchester City or the Premier League, may be used legally when it comes to those 115 charges, which we think are being heard towards the end of this year.”
