At the time United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said anchoring would “inhibit the top clubs in the Premier League, and the last thing you want is for the top clubs in the Premier League not to be able to compete with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain – that’s absurd”.
In the 2023-24 Season 20 placed Sheffield Uncord earned around £110m. So last season no top-flight club could spend more than £550m on player wages, minus transfer fees and combined agents when forced to TBA.
Meanwhile, a European Club with revenues of £1bn, for example, can spend £700m, while still complying with UEFA’s SCRS.
City spent £413m on wages alone last year, with total revenues of £715m. With transfer fees paid and fees in addition to exits, they could be one of a number of clubs close to a breach if the TBA is strong.
Some clubs opposed to the TBA are known to fear that it could threaten the long-term status of the Premier League, could put some clubs at a distance of infringement and could grow at a distance of infringement.
BBC Sport has learned that, under the current proposals, any club would break the rules for a second time, plus an extra point for every £6.5m in excess.
The clubs are against the TBA system saying that the balance of competition in the league is as it sounds, and that some clubs are only favored because it means less use of the player’s wages.
In February the PFA issued what the Premier League described as “legal demands” over concerns relating to player contracts when introduced.
The league said the PFA had been given “several opportunities to provide feedback”.
In 2021 the PFA claim that a planned EFL salary cap for the league for a league two is “not against an indifferent panadroso.
The Premier League has been approached for comment.