The identities of the seven Premier League clubs opposing the proposed ban on signing loan players from affiliated clubs ahead of the January transfer window have been disclosed.
On Tuesday, a shareholders meeting convened in London to determine the fate of a new regulation aiming to prohibit loan transfers between clubs sharing owners.
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Ultimately, 13 out of the 20 top-flight English clubs supported the ban, but the seven others rejected the suggested change to the Premier League rule.
To pass such a law, a two-thirds majority of 14 votes was required, and since it was not achieved, the motion was terminated.
According to The Times, the dissenting voters were Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Nottingham Forest.
Many of these clubs are associated with a multi-club ownership model, including Newcastle, owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
The reported £305 million Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of Newcastle was finalized in October 2021, and the club has subsequently spent approximately €440.1 million [£383m] on permanent transfers, as per Football Transfers.
In addition to revealing the seven dissenting clubs, The Times reported that one club executive mentioned ‘particular anger’ among some of the 13 clubs, especially towards Sheffield United for voting against the proposed ban.
Sheffield United shares ownership with Saudi prince Abdullah bin Musaid Al Saud, the founder of United World Group, which also holds entities such as Beerschot, Al-Hilal, Chateauroux, and Kerala United.
Following the announcement of the news on Tuesday, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher shared his perspective on the situation.
“This arrangement were you need a 14/6 vote to get something passed in the Premier League meetings is ridiculous,” he said on X. “12/8 seems much more sensible.”
Meanwhile, Newcastle will persist in their efforts to secure the services of Al Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves in preparation for the January transfer window, aiming to fill the void left by Sandro Tonali’s extended suspension.
The prospect of Neves joining St James’ Park has been a subject of speculation for a considerable period.
