The Premier League could be set for a whole host of rule changes regarding spending and wages in the future as discussions continue over the sustainability of football. It comes weeks after UEFA were said to be discussing a host of changes that would curb the spending power in English football.
The Premier League has routinely been a top spender in the transfer market, occasionally outspending all the other top five leagues combined. Chelsea's new ownership Boehly-Clearlake have had plenty of fingers pointed at them as examples of the huge transfer fees paid over the past year.
The American consortium have spent upwards of £500million in the market, often blowing their competition out of the water when making an approach for a player. Their tactic of spreading the cost of a long-term deal out over the length of a deal, otherwise known as amortisation, also caused plenty of uproar after agreeing contracts of seven-years in length and over.
UEFA have since cracked down on this, capping deals at a length of five-years as the maximum, with further questions over the sustainability of football at the top level. New plans from the Premier League may also curtail the spending power of the English top flight.
That's because, according to the Times, the Premier League are considering the implementation of a spending cap that will set an upper limit on wages based on the broadcast income of the side that finished bottom in the division. If it were to be used for the upcoming season, it would be based on how much Southampton made from TV rights after they finished 20th.
The only figures that can be used right now are from 2021/22, with clubs yet to publish their accounts for the 2022/23 season. Norwich City finished 20th that season, landing £100.6million in broadcast revenue, which would then be the base from which the finances would be worked upon.
READ MORE: Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Done deal, Sancho move, Rice bid, Caicedo deal, Guardiola exit
The league are yet to decide the figure that will will determine the wage cap, whether that's two, three or four times the amount of revenue is multiplied by to find a final number. The club with the highest wage bill that season was Manchester United, with £384million.
Chelsea were spending around £340million, with Arsenal and Tottenham spending a lot less at £206million and £209million respectively. With the highest spenders in the league towards the upper limits of £300million, the cap would have to be four times Norwich's broadcast revenue for every team to be compliant.
The idea is called "anchoring" and is meant to keep every team within a certain threshold, though other profit and sustainability rules could restrict other teams from spending the upper limits of the final figure that the elite clubs can. It could, however, curtail the 'football inflation' as transfer fees and wages continue to spiral upwards.
For many teams, keeping sustainable within football is tough and it could be seen as a first step towards such a world where football teams aren't struggling to stay alive. However, there may be some questioning whether it will keep the status quo of the same teams competing at the top.
READ NEXT:
Declan Rice sparks Arsenal transfer frenzy after Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka gesture
Director reveals William Saliba and Mikel Arteta had 'issues' before Arsenal contract agreed
