'That feels wrong' - Former Liverpool director hits out at Newcastle United and Aston Villa FFP battle

Former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow believes a 'reboot' of Financial Fair Play regulations are required as Newcastle United continue to see their ambitious plans hampered by the current rules.

The Magpies have been given a major overhaul since a PIF-led consortium took control at St James Park on a memorable evening in October 2021. The takeover was followed by the appointment of Eddie Howe as successor to former manager Steve Bruce and the United squad was boosted by a number of eye-catching arrivals including the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.

However, the Magpies hierarchy have found themselves limited by FFP regulations over the last 12 months and that led to the sale of Allan Saint-Maximin last summer, with the French winger's departure allowing United to bring in the likes of Harvey Barnes and Sandro Tonali. Although their squad was stretched due to a mounting injury crisis, Newcastle were unable to add to their ranks in January after reaching their limitations - and Purslow believes the current regulations are outdated.

He told talkSPORT: "I think that these rules never ended up where they were meant to go.  These rules were initially initiated by Michel Platini. It was French-led way to tackle the ever increasing superiority of English clubs. In 2008, three English clubs participated in the semi-finals of what Michel viewed as the European Cup - we call it the Champions League. Two of them, Liverpool and Manchester United, were swimming in debt from their takeovers. Chelsea had a large amount of shareholder debt. They began as a crusade to not allow debt in the sport, because it was risky, damaging and it was enabling clubs to spend crazy money. There was no mention of debt in the final drafting of Financial Fair Play in 2010 and 2011."

Purslow went on to reference Eddie Howe's admission Newcastle would have to sell players to bring in new faces during the January transfer window, despite the Magpies being backed by the considerable wealth of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.

He said: ”It changed. It became about clubs breaking even, living within their resources. I think that that has had a series of unintended consequences, the most obvious one being that...when Eddie Howe said in the first week of January that we're going to have to sell players to buy players, that was a seismic moment for the average football fan like me.

“This club is owned by an impossibly wealthy owner, who is highly ambitious, we've seen what they've done in golf. They didn't buy Newcastle to be a mid-table side, they want to challenge the elite, the establishment. They've got the money, there's no question of sustainability. They're using real cash but they're having to sell players, ironically, probably to the 'Big Six' who benefit.  

"That feels wrong. The first unintended consequence is that we shouldn't be using these rules to prevent really well funded new owners restructuring and improving clubs in the period after a takeover. I would like to see reboot of the rules, which treats clubs post-takeovers differently. Maybe over a period of time, maybe three years, and if they submit their plans which involve losses, they have to be funded with real cash, guaranteed."