Report: Newcastle vote to change current Profit and Sustainability Rules in favour of 'anchoring' system

The Premier League owners met today to discuss potential changes to the current Profit and Sustainability Rules which have proven to be unfit for purpose.

As it stands, PSR is absolutely killing the game. It's keeping the big clubs at the top and not allowing anyone from outside to break in which is why the Premier League keep meeting to discuss alternative rules.

Today, the clubs met to discuss the 'anchoring' method in which every club's potential spending limits are set as a multiple of the lowest-earning club's TV revenue, which keeps everyone on an even footing.

It's reported in believed that Newcastle United were big proponents of the move as it would allow the Magpies to spend more than they can under the current PSR restrictions.

The PFA will oppose the 'anchoring' proposal

In fact, it's believed that the clubs further down the league standing were more in favour of the switch with The Times reporting that only Manchester United, Manchester City and surprisingly, Aston Villa voted against the idea and Chelsea abstained.

That left 14 clubs to vote through the proposal which is what was required for it to pass to the next stage. The vote today doesn't mean the changes will come into effect, but they will now go on to further discussions.

The PFA have already come out and said they would seriously fight against any motion that would put a hard cap on player salaries which 'anchoring' would do in effect.

PSR is never going to be fair across the board

For clubs like Manchester City, whose turnover was in excess of £700million last year, 'anchoring' would be a big kick in the teeth with estimates being that this season's cap would be set somewhere around £400million, but with Newcastle hitting their ceiling after spending around £150m-£200million, this would be a welcome increase. It's worth noting though, that this spending limit includes transfer fees, wages and agent fees, so clubs which already have high wage bills are at a disadvantage already.

Once again though, it shows that trying to implement financial restrictions is always going to be unfair to somebody, in much the same way that removing them all together would be. If PSR was scrapped entirely then Newcastle would be free to spend whatever they wanted which would see them break into that 'big six' in no time, however clubs below Newcastle, and indeed the likes of Tottenham, would definitely feel hard done by.

There is never going to be an answer that pleases everybody, but so far, 'anchoring' seems like the closest we've come to a fair system.

We'll have to see what the full proposal is and how it will be implemented which we will find out in due course with the proposal set to be voted on fully in June.