Aston Villa send warning to Newcastle United in letter as Man City vote takes fresh twist

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Aston Villa have written to Newcastle United and member clubs to warn of 'further litigation' by Manchester City if proposed changes to sponsorship rules are given the green light.

Aston Villa will join Manchester City in voting against amendments to the Premier League's associated party transaction (APT) regulations when top-flight shareholders meet in London on Friday. These rules ensure all commercial deals with companies linked to a club's owners are independently assessed to establish they are of fair market value.

Ahead of the summit, Aston Villa have warned clubs it is 'abundantly clear that any vote (if passed) will result in immediate further litigation by Manchester City and an associated defence by the EPL, incurring material further costs and unnecessary distraction and devotion of time to this issue'.

The independent tribunal has yet to provide full clarification on the status of the APT rules, after both the Premier League and Manchester City claimed victory in their recent arbitration battle, and Aston Villa have suggested it is 'highly likely' that the panel will do so within the next three months. Aston Villa, as a result, have called for a postponement of the vote and claimed that an APT rule 'that takes into consideration the tribunal's verdict will be supported by all clubs and cannot be contested'.

Nassef Sawiris, Aston Villa's part-owner, doubled down in a separate statement and said a vote in 90 days that takes these findings into consideration will have a 'significantly greater chance of securing unanimous support'.

"Crucially, a unanimous vote will present a fresh start for an embattled Premier League that began with the failed attempt to launch a Super League in 2021," he told the Daily Telegraph. "With the imminent arrival of the government’s Independent Football Regulator, it is more important than ever that the Premier League can present itself to the regulator with a united front. In our view, this will be far more easily achieved if the APT vote is held in February and supported unanimously by all clubs.

"It is noteworthy that legal bills to date on this matter have already reached astronomical amounts; further challenges and escalation of these fees could be avoided through reaching consensus. Ultimately, a unanimous vote will showcase the emergence of a new era of clubs who can compete vigorously on the pitch but work together to strengthen the Premier League and its global appeal."

Manchester City have claimed the Premier League have 'rushed through' the consultation process on 'unlawful' changes, but the top-flight insisted it had acted 'fairly, transparently and responsibly in circulating considered proposals for consultation in a prompt manner'.

Friday's vote will centre on integrating the assessment of shareholder loans; granting clubs access to a databank of commercial deals that the top-flight use in fair market valuations; and removing some of the amendments made to the regulations earlier this year.

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