PREMIER LEAGUE SPARKS OUTRAGE WITH RADICAL SALARY CAP PROPOSAL
The Premier League is voting on a historic £550m spending cap. This "anchoring" system aims to create balance but faces legal threats from the PFA and fierce opposition from top clubs like Man City & United, who fear it will hurt European competitiveness.
One of the biggest and most contentious economic reforms in Premier League history is about to be implemented: a stringent spending cap that would drastically curtail the financial clout of the most affluent clubs.
The plan, dubbed "anchoring," will be put to a vote in November and will pit a group of mid-table clubs committed to establishing competitive balance against the league's aspirational elite.
The world's richest football league's economic environment would change if the measure is passed.
Aiming to bridge the growing financial divide created by the present PSR (Profitability and Sustainability Rules), the change is already encountering strong opposition, including the possibility of legal action from the players' union.
What the £550 million ceiling looks like
The proposed "anchoring" plan would limit clubs' expenditure to no more than five times the broadcast and prize money made by the Premier League's bottom-place team.
This expenditure cap would be set at around £550 million (€630 million) for the entire squad's expenses (wages, transfers, and agents' fees), according to recent estimates.
Even while this amount is considerable right now, it serves as a concrete means of regulating expenditure growth by preventing the wealthiest clubs in the league from withdrawing financially in the future.
A two-thirds majority (14 out of 20 clubs) is needed to approve the proposal.
The PFA and the Titans' opposition
The teams that stand to lose the most financial independence have immediately and vehemently opposed the concept.
The opposition is led by elite teams like Manchester United and City, who claim that the cap will weaken the Premier League's hegemony in Europe.
They argue that cutting spending would endanger the departure of international players like Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland and make it impossible to compete with European rivals like Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, who do not have such a cap.
In addition, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has threatened legal action and expressed strong objection.
By claiming that such measures are an unlawful restraint on pay and free-market competition, the players' union successfully contested the EFL's effort to establish a salary cap in the lower leagues.
The Premier League is now at a pivotal juncture, and the fight is scheduled for November.
HOW JAMES MADDISON’S INDIVIDUAL TRAINING SIGNALS A SHOCK SEASON RETURN
James Maddison returns to individual training as Igor Tudor prepares Tottenham for a vital relegation battle with Forest.
Ahead of Tottenham’s match against Nottingham Forest, manager Igor Tudor gave an update on when James Maddison might return from injury. It’s a crucial moment for Spurs as they prepare to host Forest in what could be the defining 90 minutes of Tudor’s time at the club and quite possibly a key fixture that will shape the season for both teams.
Currently separated by just one point, Tottenham and Forest are locked in a battle against relegation. A win would push Spurs four points clear of the drop zone, while a loss might drag them into the bottom three. The stakes couldn’t be clearer.
Tudor’s side heads into this game with renewed energy, surprisingly positive given the mood just two weeks ago. The draw at Anfield broke a six-game losing streak, and their recent 3-2 victory over Atlético Madrid, though not enough to overturn the aggregate score, brought back a sense of belief. Young players like Xavi Simons and Archie Gray impressed, while Mathys Tel kept the opposition on their toes. The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was electric in a way fans haven’t felt for months. While the Champions League hopes are dashed, that performance has injected valuable momentum into Spurs’ survival fight.
There’s also some hopeful news on the injury front. Dominic Solanke, who missed the Atlético leg with a hip issue, might be available. His physical presence adds a different dimension to Tottenham’s attack, which Tudor will surely be glad to have.
But the most promising update came from Tudor’s comments about Maddison. The creative midfielder, sidelined since August after rupturing his ACL in a preseason friendly, has begun some individual training, spotted alongside Palhinha. Recoveries from ACL injuries are never straightforward, and the team won’t rush him back. With only seven league games left after Sunday, there’s a narrow window for his return. Still, even the possibility of Maddison getting back on the pitch—someone who can change a game with a moment of skill or a precise pass—offers a much-needed morale boost.
For now, though, the focus remains firmly on Forest.
WHY BORUSSIA DORTMUND EXPECT JADON SANCHO TO SIGN FOR FREE
Unai Emery praises Jadon Sancho despite poor stats, while Dortmund free up £21m in wages to lure him back to Germany.
Borussia Dortmund really want Jadon Sancho back, and they’re hoping to get him for free from Manchester United. Sancho’s contract runs out this summer, and honestly, no one expects United to offer him a new one.
Right now, Sancho’s on loan at Aston Villa. It’s his third spell away from Old Trafford since United signed him for £73 million in 2021. His move to Villa was just a loan with no option to buy.
Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, has hinted he might keep Sancho, but Dortmund aren’t sitting around. The Times says Dortmund didn’t chase wingers last summer because Nico Kovac liked the 3-4-2-1 formation, but now the boss has changed his mind and wants Sancho back.
If Sancho comes back, he'll need to take a hefty pay cut from his £300,000-a-week salary. Still, Dortmund’s where he made his name after moving from Manchester City in 2017.
Dortmund have room in the budget this summer; they let the contracts of Julian Brandt, Niklas Süle, and Salih Özcan run out. That saves them about £21 million a year, and they’re optimistic they can lure Sancho, who’s allowed to strike pre-contract deals with foreign clubs.
Sancho actually spent half of the 2024 season back at Dortmund after Erik ten Hag froze him out at United. He helped them reach the Champions League final, but nothing permanent came of it.
Something similar happened during his loan to Chelsea last season. The club even paid a £5 million penalty just to avoid having to sign him outright. Villa picked him up right at the transfer deadline in September, but, once again, he’s struggled.
So far, Sancho’s got one goal and one assist in 29 games across all competitions. Still, Emery thinks there’s more to come.
When asked in February about signing Sancho for good, Emery said, “Not yet, but he’s a fantastic player. Hopefully, he can help us by improving within our system, like he is doing.
“He’ll need a new contract; maybe it’s here. If he plays his best football, we’ll want him. But other teams will be interested, too.”
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