Manchester United Hoping Premier League Impose Stricter Financial Boundaries

Manchester United have implored for stricter financial boundaries in England as Premier League chairmen will discuss spending controls today.

A range of limits will be presented to the top-flight clubs in a meeting that could set the bar for the future of football.

And having initiated the move earlier in the summer, United are being backed by fellow Greater Manchester club Wigan Athletic to discuss the options in further detail.

Latics chairman Dave Whelan said that control was needed urgently to prevent Premier League champions Manchester City and Champions League winners Chelsea from continuing to outspend the rest.

Whelan said: “This proposal has come from Manchester United, I think City haven shaken them up a little bit but I think there should be some controls on spending.

“Some clubs are spending way more than they can afford and get into trouble – look at Portsmouth.

“The Premier League is so big and powerful and there is so much money around that the clubs try and chase it. Something has to be done so we will support these measures.”

The decision would come as a serious measure for the Citizens as their billionaire owners have joined Roman Abramovich in powering their teams to the top of the game while others have been left in their wake.

And two groups of ten groups – split up to reflect their size and region – will be created to discuss the issues ahead of UEFA’s financial fair play rules for Champions League and Europa Cup teams – which restricts clubs to spending what the earn.

United’s chief executive David Gill has strongly supported UEFA’s decision and also looked at the Championship as an example for the Premier League to follow.

“A lot of clubs would be happy just to introduce to the financial fair play regulations into the Premier League,” said Gill. “Now, some wouldn’t, but that’s a debate that has to have happened. And it will happen.

“If you look at it we’ve got financial regulations in the league below us, the championship, and the competition above us, the Champions League so we need to do it.

“The Premier League being the best league in the world, the most commercially effective league in the world, I think there’s a real opportunity to introduce some sensible rules that effectively improve and enhance the long term or medium term financial stability.”

More than half of the Premier League clubs last season lost money – and despite their title success, City finished with an eye-watering loss of £197million, ahead of Chelsea on £68million and Liverpool on £49million.