NEW transfer rules that would place limits on spending “losses” are set to be imposed by Uefa from this summer.
In a move that appears to have been targeted at mega-rich Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, clubs will be prevented from running a deficit on spending of more than £90million per season.
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And they will also be banned from “stockpiling” players — with a limit of 25 pros over the age of 21 allowed on the books of any club.
Uefa have come under pressure from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid to clamp down on the “state aid” that allowed PSG and City to outspend their rivals last summer.
Barca were furious they found themselves powerless to prevent Neymar moving to PSG — who are owned by the investment arm of the Qatari government — while similar criticisms have been directed at Abu Dhabi-owned City.
And in what appeared to be a pincer movement orchestrated by the traditional elite of the European Clubs Association, the new proposal for “Financial Fair Play 2.0” is being prepared to go on the table in May.
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Current FFP rules mean clubs are only allowed to lose £26m when wages, transfer fees and income are balanced over a three-year period.
Although investments on stadiums, training facilities, youth development and women’s football are discounted from costs.
The new regulations would end the overall calculation and apply only to transfer spending each season.
This term, of the Premier League clubs, only City and Manchester United would have fallen foul of the new limit, as would PSG and Italian giants AC Milan.
Both Manchester clubs made transfer “losses” of more than £130m — and would have been forced to sell squad members to make up the shortfall or face punishment from Uefa.
But the idea will be seen as an all-out attack on the Middle East-owned superclubs who are upsetting the established order domestically and in European competition.
FA and Premier League sources confirmed they are aware of plans to put shackles on what clubs can spend.
It is expected Prem clubs would be reluctant to agree to proposals stopping them from spending money from within their own revenues, while Chelsea and City would be particularly hit by the planned limits on player numbers.
But there is a growing belief the proposals will be backed by the ECA ahead of the May 24 Uefa vote.
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