Gary Neville hits out after Newcastle United ‘can’t sign’ player

Gary Neville has strongly criticized the Premier League’s financial regulations, arguing that they have prevented Newcastle United—backed by the wealthiest owners in football—from significantly strengthening their squad in recent transfer windows.

Despite their financial power, Newcastle remains constrained by the league’s financial rules, which continue to limit their ability to compete with top-tier clubs.

Currently, Premier League clubs, including Newcastle, are operating under trial squad cost rules and top-to-bottom anchoring in a shadow system. However, they remain bound by financial regulations that restrict losses to £105 million over a rolling three-year period.

These Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), initially introduced in 2013, will remain unchanged next season after top-flight clubs opted against revising them in a stakeholders’ meeting last month.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire previously pointed out that Newcastle has been disproportionately affected by these rules, as the permitted losses have not increased to reflect inflation.

He likened their challenge of closing the financial gap with the league’s established elite to running a 1,500-meter race with an extra lap compared to their competitors. The financial constraints have severely limited their ability to improve their squad, despite securing Champions League qualification in 2023.

Unlike other clubs that have invested heavily to strengthen their squads, Newcastle has struggled to make significant additions. They ended each of the last two transfer windows with a profit and narrowly avoided breaching PSR regulations last summer.

This financial restraint has drawn criticism from Neville, who has consistently argued that clubs should be allowed to invest more freely. He believes owner investment should be permitted to help Newcastle reach the same level as the Premier League’s top teams.

Newcastle’s inability to make substantial signings despite their financial backing underscores the ongoing debate about the fairness of financial restrictions in English football.

While the regulations aim to promote sustainability, they also hinder clubs like Newcastle from closing the gap on historically dominant teams. Neville’s stance highlights the growing frustration among football analysts and fans who believe these rules prevent ambitious clubs from reaching their full potential.