Manchester City have won four Premier League titles in a row. Manchester City have launched a fresh legal challenge against the Premier League over new rules governing sponsorship deals which the club claims are "unlawful". Last year an independent arbitration panel found against aspects of the league's Associated Party Transaction regulations APTs after a lawsuit instigated by the champions.
The rules were formed by the Premier League to prevent clubs from profiting from commercial deals with companies linked to their owners that are deemed above "fair market value". In November a majority of top-flight clubs voted to approve amendments to the APTs, despite opposition from City. The parties are currently corresponding in relation to further directions.
Last year a tribunal ruled low-interest shareholder loans should not be excluded from the scope of the APTs, and changes made to toughen up the regulations also breached competition law. Following the ruling, City criticised the Premier League's "misleading" suggestion the regulations could be swiftly amended - and threatened further legal action if there was a "knee-jerk reaction".
City insisted the league's proposed changes "would introduce into the rules a retrospective exemption for shareholder loans It said there should be no vote on changes before a further determination by the panel.
The Premier League and City attended a two-day hearing last week to make submissions in relation to the impact of the original ruling. The panel is still deliberating.
