ARSENAL NEED THE INVINCIBLES SPIRIT

explaining they had asked City for information while having an ongoing dialogue with the club.

Pressure on the Premier League to act has come principally from the American owners of clubs such as Liverpool and Crystal Palace. They came into English football from US sports where there has long been a culture of strict financial regulation.

The Americans with stakes in Premier League clubs — Manchester United, Arsenal, Fulham and Bournemouth as well as Liverpool and Palace — have interests in teams across American football, basketball, ice hockey and football.

The NBA was the first major American sport to introduce financial regulations such as salary caps