Source: Team_Talk
Platini: New rules end transfer 'anarchy'
UEFA president Michel Platini claims the governing body's new rules on spending have ended the "total anarchy" that surrounded transfers.[LNB] This summer's transfer window is expected to show another drop in spending by Premier League clubs - and that despite Manchester City's £126million spree.[LNB]UEFA's new financial fair play rules, aimed at ensuring clubs in European competition only spend what they earn, are due to come into force from next season though they will be introduced gradually.[LNB]Last year Premier League clubs spent £450million but this summer the total sum could be down by 25%. Meanwhile, January saw only £30million spent - the lowest figure since the mid-season window was introduced in 2003.[LNB]Platini said: "For years and years we were in total anarchy but the clubs asked for the rules because they knew they could not continue.[LNB]"We can see already that the clubs are spending less as they look to balance their books.[LNB]"This is because the first time the break-even rule will kick in is in the coming year, the 2011/2012 season.[LNB]"It's very soon and this means that the strategy to say 'I can now go and spend hundreds of millions' doesn't work because we will see it in two years at the latest.[LNB]"Transfers have not been as crazy as in the last few years, they are pulling up their socks and the clubs are making special efforts to comply with the rules."[LNB]Manchester City look to have the most to fear from the new rules given their current turnover and wage bill, but there will be some leeway for the first six years. Owners will be allowed to inject 15million euros (£12.3m) a year into clubs up until 2015, and then 10million euros (£8.2m) until 2018, but the cash cannot be a loan.[LNB]UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino confirmed: "In 2018 we will assess it and the objective is to go further down.[LNB]"It cannot be a loan however it must be a capital injection or donation."[LNB]Clubs with very rich owners could get around the rules - if for example City owner Sheikh Mansour or Chelsea's Roman Abramovich handed over a large capital sum to their clubs now, before the new rules kick in, that could tide them over the next decade.[LNB]The position of Manchester United and Liverpool, who have been paying large sums to pay off the interest on the debts their owners took out to buy the club, still remains less clear.[LNB]United are insistent that they would comply with the rules to only spend what they earn but Infantino confirmed that interest payments are taken into account.[LNB]"The costs to finance the debt are included," he said.[LNB]Manchester City's football administrator Brian Marwood said the club were "comfortable" with the UEFA rules.[LNB]Marwood said: ""It's a concern, it's something that every club has got to be aware of but we are fairly comfortable in terms of where we are at and moving forward, and that element is something that not just Manchester City will face but everybody."
