Premier League clubs accused of ‘empty promises’ as talks of ‘new deal’ with EFL continue to stall

Premier League clubs have been accused of ‘not looking after the game’ and making ‘empty promises’ as talks over a new funding deal with the EFL continue to stall.

A meeting between the 20 top-flight clubs ended without an agreement on a ‘New Deal’ - the most recent meeting on Monday 11 March was the second of its kind and followed an earlier failed discussion which took place on 29 February.

At that time, Premier League clubs were informed by culture secretary Lucy Frazer that if an agreement was not reached with the EFL then a deal would be imposed on them. This scenario appears increasingly likely given the lengthy nature of the discussions.

Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of culture, media and sport committee, compared the situation to clubs ‘parking the bus.’

She told BBC Sport: “The longer this deadlock goes on, the more the stated commitment from the Premier League clubs to striking a deal with the rest of the pyramid looks like nothing more than an empty promise.

“With the richest teams in the country continuing to park the bus to block a financial settlement, the Premier league’s numbers should now be up and the government must urgently introduce its much-trailed legislation to bring an independent regulator into play.

“Every day that goes by without an agreement threatens the financial sustainability of clubs in communities up and down the country.”

Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville, who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, described the situation as an ‘absolute disgrace’.

Neville, who co-owns League Two side Salford City said: “ It’s about the sustainability and welfare of the game and the sustainability of the whole league.

“The Premier League at this moment in time are negligent in their dismissive nature, just pushing it down the road, thinking ‘maybe a regulator will sort, maybe we’ll sort it’ and not doing anything. 

“That’s not good governance, it just demonstrates to me that they are not looking after the whole game like they should be.”