UEFA planning drastic rule change that could destroy Man Utd, Liverpool and other Premier League clubs

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has proposed a drastic rule change that could have implications for the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool.

This week Ceferin proposed limiting the earning potential of players in Europe by introducing a salary cap.

Speaking to US media outlet Men in Blazers on Tuesday, the UEFA chief admitted that European football's governing body intended to bring in the salary cap "as soon as possible".

Ceferin said: "For now, we have the new rule after 2024 that you can spend up to 70% of your revenues for salaries and transfers, but that's not enough because if your revenues are five billion, 70 per cent is quite a lot.

"It's not about the owners. It's about the value of the competition, because if five clubs will always win then it doesn't make sense any more.

"But it has to be a collective agreement - every league and Uefa. Because if we do it and the other leagues don't, then it doesn't make sense."

Impact on Premier League

Premier League clubs, in particular, will be affected by such measures, with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, United and Liverpool believed to have some of the highest wage bills in the world.

According to Spotrac, United’s estimated total expenditure on wages this season will amount to an eye-watering £211,875,000, which is the second highest behind Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Liverpool reportedly have the fourth-highest expenditure on player salary, having been tipped to spend £158,788,000 on wages this term.

The Premier League’s spending power is one of the central components of why it is such an attractive proposition to players on the continent. Should a salary cap be introduced the likes of United and Liverpool will a be a less attractive proposition to their transfer targets.

Moreover, the Professional Footballer’s Association insisted that players will “rightly be angry” should UEFA introduce a salary cap.

PFA chief executive Maheta Molango said on Wednesday: "[Players] need to be treated as the most important stakeholders and central to these conversations. When players read that 'everyone agrees' with capping their wages, I think they will rightly be angry.”

Molango added that a salary cap was “not the solution” to ensuring better financial management by leagues and clubs.

Topics: Football, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Premier League

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.