Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
George Flood and Simon Collings

Arsenal are compliant with FFP regulations insists Mikel Arteta after reports over ‘Uefa watchlist’

Mikel Arteta insists that Arsenal are compliant with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

Reports earlier this week suggested that the Gunners were one of 20 clubs that had been added to a Uefa watchlist after initial analysis flagged up concerns for the 2021-22 season.

Under Uefa rules, clubs are continually monitored by the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) to ensure they do not breach FFP regulations, which relate to losses over a three-year period.

Under current FFP regulations, clubs are allowed €30million (£25.3m) losses over a three-year period. In order to promote investment in stadia, training facilities, youth development and women’s football, such costs are excluded from break-even calculations.

Losses related to Covid-19 are also taken into account. Arsenal recorded a post-tax loss of £107.3m for their latest accounts, the year ending May 31, 2021, with the club saying at the time that as much as £85m of that could be attributable to the impact of the pandemic. Arsenal have not yet filed their final accounts for the 2021-22 season.

Uefa announced earlier this year that new FFP rules were coming into force from June, to be implemented gradually over the course of a three-year period to allow clubs to adjust after the pandemic.

Manchester City were previously handed a two-year ban from European competition and fined €30m in 2020 for alleged breaches of FPP rules, though later won an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Arteta insists that early Premier League leaders Arsenal - who have spent over £100m on new signings so far this summer - are relaxed over the situation and have not had any contact with Uefa.

Mikel Arteta insists that Arsenal are not in danger of breaching Financial Fair Play rules (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

“We are compliant and we have heard nothing so I don’t know where that has come from,” the Spaniard told reporters at a press conference held before Saturday’s London derby against newly-promoted Fulham at the Emirates Stadium - Arteta’s 100th top-flight match in charge at Arsenal.

“I think the club has been very disciplined all the time and has a very clear vision on how we want to do things, the limitations we have and how we have to deal with things so in that sense nothing changes [in terms of transfers in this window].”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.