City’s fears over squad spending and salary caps

A GROWING number of topflight clubs are concerned measures to cap squad spending in the Premier League might ultimately be adopted in the Championship.

- By JAMIE GARDNER

Clubs are set to vote on top-to-bottom anchoring (TBA) at a meeting on November 21, a move which would cap the amount any club could spend on their squad at five times the smallest central Premier League broadcasting and prize money payout.

TBA is designed to promote competitive balance within the league by reining in the richest clubs, but City, United and Aston Villa are understood to have voted in April last year against further exploration of the idea. Opponents say TBA creates a salary cap.

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) is opposed to the idea and has enlisted Nick De Marco KC to support its legal challenge.

There is also understood to be growing unease around TBA from the sort of middle to lower-ranking clubs who might, at face value, support a concept that would limit the spending of the big clubs.