Revealed: Why Manchester United voted against Premier League spending cap proposals

Manchester United voted against proposals for a spending cap to be introduced in the Premier League.

It is understood United were one of three teams to vote against the proposals on Monday, alongside Man City and Aston Villa. It has been reported that Chelsea abstained from the vote.

The new proposals still gained a majority approval from Premier League clubs, meaning there will now be a final vote on the details of the spending cap at an AGM meeting in June. Under the new 'anchoring' proposals, financial regulations will be put in place to restrict spending on players to a multiple of the amount of TV revenue earned by the bottom-placed club each season.

If the proposals are approved at June's AGM, the new financial model will replace the current Profit and Sustainability Regulations presently from the 2025-26 season onwards.

ManchesterWorld understand United were one of the few teams to object to the initial proposals as they believe the new rules would unfairly penalise the club for their own success in generating self-sustaining revenues which have been built over decades of success both on and off the field.

It is also understood that United believe the proposed measures to level out domestic competition would actually pose a risk of undermining the competitiveness of leading Premier League clubs in European competition. That in turn, could eventually damage the standing of the Premier League globally.

It comes ahead of a pivotal summer at United in which the Ineos Group will be looking to make their mark on the club. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team are already looking at ways to make the club more cost effective and will be looking to overhaul the playing squad in the summer transfer window.

Premier League clubs spent a record total of £2.36 billion on player transfers during the 2023 summer window, which also led to a rise in player wages.

Despite this, no English side has reached the final four of the Champions League or Europa League, with Aston Villa the only Premier League side left in European competition.