Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger calls for UEFA to scrap FFP policy following deadline day move

ARSENE WENGER has led calls for UEFA to scrap Financial Fair Play on the day Premier League chairmen voted to move the transfer window forward to the eve of next season.

Arsene WengerGETTY

Arsene Wenger wants FFP regulations scrapped

Manchester United and Manchester City were among the five clubs who voted against the decision to end trading at 5pm on the Thursday before fixtures begin in future summer windows as the vote carried by the narrowest of margins.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham were among the 14 clubs in favour of the change, which will kick in on August 9 next year. That is the minimum required to meet the Premier League’s two-thirds majority criteria, with one club abstaining.

A statement confirmed: “Premier League clubs have today agreed to a rule amendment that will see the summer transfer window in any year end at 5pm on the Thursday before the start of the season. This is for Premier League clubs only and has no bearing on other leagues and competitions.”

League insiders were said to be “pleasantly surprised” by a decision which preserves the integrity of the competition but, as opponents were eager to point out, puts English clubs at a disadvantage compared to foreign rivals. Spanish, Italian, French and German clubs, for example, will still be able to bid for Premier League players and do deals between themselves.

However, Wenger had led for calls to shut the window before the season got underway to avoid unsettling players and went further to question whether UEFA had any real control over the whole market system.

It is time to get rid of FFP because there are too many legal ways to get around it

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger

PSG and Manchester City have spent huge sums over the summer and with the wage offers being made to players to head to the Far East, it has raised concerns that financial fair play (FFP) regulations are failing to fulfil the purpose of keeping football costs manageable.

Now Wenger, previously one of the biggest supporters of the initiative, is ready to give up on it entirely.

“It is time to get rid of FFP because there are too many legal ways to get around it,” he said.

Neymar and Kylian MbappeGETTY

Neymar and Kylian Mbappe moved to Paris Saint-Germain this summer for deals totalling over £350m

“At least the question has to be raised. At the moment it looks like you can buy clubs in China and get the players there.

“The question has to be raised. I’m convinced that at the moment the rules are not strong enough to make that respected.

“Football is maybe only at the start of a huge financial investment. It has become the most powerful sport in the world. That means, do we have to open the door completely? To investments?

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“That is a question we have to raise, because at the moment it looks like we have created rules that cannot be respected. Nothing works when you create rules that cannot be respected.

“Maybe we are at the crossroads and have to think, do we open it completely? Freedom to investment for people like the Chinese or Americans who want to invest here?

“If you want to remain the best league in the world, that is certainly the way we have to look.”

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