Blatter critical of Premier League debt

Blatter ruled out a salary cap (GETTY IMAGES)

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has criticised the amount of debt in the Premier League although he ruled out the introduction of a salary cap as a way of preventing more clubs entering administration.

Blatter is concerned at the plight of Portsmouth, who recently went into administration and are facing relegation to the Championship after receiving a nine-point penalty, and blamed high player wages for the problems of others, including Manchester United.

He told CNN International: "I think something is wrong here with the Premier League.

"To let a club go into administration, this is not good.

"They have two clubs in the Premier League who are not in debt. Why, because they have two sponsors and they have taken away the debt. These clubs are Chelsea and Manchester City.

"And all the others even the big Manchester (United), the big Manchester I think they are just able to pay the interest of their debt but there are clubs that are not even able to pay the interest of their debt.

"This is not correct, this is not good.

"And these clubs, why are they in debt? Because they pay too high salaries to their players, they spend more money than they have.

"In any family in the world you cannot do that, in any company you cannot do that. And why in football it is possible because they do not have different laws."

Blatter claims his own organisation is powerless to intervene and called on national associations to address the issue.

He added: "This is not a question where FIFA can intervene because it is economy, it is the responsibility of the national association members in FIFA to make sure their clubs are in good order.

"In France it is a governmental decree that they have there.

"In Germany 51% ownership of the club must be German, in Spain most of the clubs belong to the fans."

Blatter believes red-tape would prevent the introduction of a salary cap.

He said: "I think salary caps will not be accepted by any economic system especially not in the European Union where it is a basic economy or it was the economy at a certain time.

"But salary caps will automatically come in if you can agree to this principle that you cannot spend more money than your income. This would balance it definitely.

"You have these clubs that do not have 15 or 16 players they have 25 or even 30 players.

"They want to have two teams practically if there are some injuries or suspensions then they have the same quality of players and they pay them a lot of money and if they do not have the money they are in debt."