Premier League to set financial tests

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Clubs could be forced to sell their star players and other valuable assets if they fail more stringent financial tests expected to be ratified by the board next month.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore does not believe there will be a situation where a top-flight club suffers from insolvency but he made it clear that sanctions will be taken if any of the elite should teeter on the brink of financial failure in future.

"It's more about putting other sanctions upon them and that will be for the board to decide what the appropriate sanction is," said Scudamore.

"It might be no transfers, it might be forced sale of players, forced sale of assets, there must be other things you can do to keep the club alive, because the most important thing is to keep the club in existence."

Scudamore was responding to a letter in October from Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, concerning finances at, and ownership of, football clubs.

The Premier League have proposed 10 rule changes aimed at tightening the governance of clubs at the highest level.

They want to reduce the risk of another 'Leeds', who collapsed into insolvency after gross overspending in the early part of this decade and were relegated in 2004.

"What happened to Leeds is what should happen to Leeds if you run the club like that," Scudamore added.

"It's tough on Leeds fans. But what these rules envisage is the football authorities getting involved earlier in that process, a bit more interference in that process. Not to prevent it, but to reduce the chance of that happening."