Premier League and EFL told to ‘put the squabbling aside’ and reach agreement over financial bailout

Government expresses its disappointment that the Premier League and EFL have not reached a breakthrough three weeks after the last bailout offer was rejected

The Premier League and English Football League have been told to “put the squabbling aside” and come to an agreement over the financial bailout for clubs on the brink of collapse.

A £50m bailout offer for League One and League Two clubs was rejected by the EFL three weeks ago, with no progression over subsequent talks as clubs desperately seek financial support to cope during the coronavirus pandemic.

The absence of fans on match days has left clubs with huge revenue deficits to cover, with EFL chairman Rick Parry expressing his belief that the three leagues required £250m to stay afloat and avoid financial collapse. However, despite spending more than £1.2bn in the recent transfer window, the Premier League has not budged on its offer of £50m in grants and interest-free loans to the third and fourth tier only.

The stalemate led to the subject being brought up in parliament again on Thursday, following the overnight announcement that the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has summoned Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, EFL counterpart Rick Parry and Football Association chairman Greg Clarke to appear before a DCMS select committee next week to discuss the failure to reach an agreement.

That unhappiness was reiterated in the House of Commons, with DCMS select committee chair Julian Knight revealing that 10-15 clubs are at risk of collapse if no financial aid arrives.

“I am of course very disappointed in the current situation in the inability of football to come to that agreement,” responded the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden.

“It is the case that there is already £50m on the table for League One and League Two clubs to stop them falling into financial difficulty, which is a good start.

“I know further discussions are taking place and indeed the minister for sport met again with both bodies, the Premier League and EFL this week to reiterate the need to reach an agreement in the interest of all fans.”

The Times reported this week that a fresh offer was due to be made to the EFL that would include the original £50m offer to League One and League Two clubs, plus financial help for Championship sides on a case-by-case basis. The offer is also said to have removed the stipulation that the EFL supports the Premier League in its opposition to the FA’s outlook on work permits for foreign 18-21-year olds in the new post-Brexit regulations, as well as the points-per-game system should any league seasons fail to finish due to coronavirus.

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