Aston Villa decide against joining Man City in legal challenge to Premier League rules

Aston Villa are unlikely to follow through with threats from owner Wes Edens to follow Manchester City and mount a legal challenge to the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules. 

The club’s proposal to increase the three-year rolling loss limit from £105m to £135m was defeated at the Premier League’s annual general meeting in June.

That led Aston Villa to consider other options, but City A.M. understands that their plan at present is to continue to challenge the system through the league’s existing structures. 

Aston Villa are sympathetic to Manchester City, who have taken the Premier League to arbitration over their Associated Party Transaction rules, but are not yet ready to follow them into battle in the courtroom.

What is Manchester City’s legal challenge to the Premier League?

The champions launched legal action against the Premier League earlier this year, challenging its rules on transactions with ralted parties – such as Abu Dhabi-owned sponsors – and seeking damages.

City, who have won the last four Premier League titles, argue that they are victims of “discrimination”, that the rules were voted through to cap their success, and have decribed the situation as a “tyranny of the majority”.

The row represented an escalation of tensions between club and league but is separate to the club’s ongoing dispute over 115 charges of alleged financial and regulatory breaches.