Premier League 'faces' huge Man City legal bill after dispute defeat as costs soar amid £200m loss

Manchester City reportedly expect the to cover the cost of their legal team after its partial victory in a dispute over associated party transactions rules.

are said to have already spent well over £10million, meaning the total bill, including what the league have spent, could exceed £20million.

However, an independent tribunal hearing the case will decide the final apportionment of costs.

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That same three-person panel found in February sponsorship rules concerning APTs and fair market value assessments in place between December 2021 and March 2024 were "void and unenforceable".

Per the Premier League, it introduced the rules "with the aim of safeguarding the financial stability, integrity, and competitive balance of the League".

now cites sources when reporting that Man City will apply for the Premier League to pay their costs after being defeated during the first stage of this dispute.

However, they expect the league to robustly defend any claims regarding expenses because it is still an ongoing process and one that they did not initiate.

The publication previously reported that the Premier League spent almost £50million on legal costs last season, six times the £8million they budgeted for.

now claims those fees could be as high as £100million. Their latest set of accounts made up to 31 July 2024, published on 2 April, state the Premier League's administrative expenditure, which includes legal fees, climbed £76.5million from £123.7million to £200.2million.

They acknowledged that legal fees due to club "regulatory matters" were one of three main factors behind the rise, alongside hiring additional staff and increasing its wider football support.

Legal costs have come from disputes involving , , , Man City and .

The Times states they spent £4.9million on the Profitability and Sustainability breaches by Everton, with the club covering only £1.7million, leaving them to pay the remaining £3.2million.