The vote follows a legal challenge from Manchester City against the Premier League (Image: GETTY)
There is said to be growing confidence among some clubs that the will have enough support to win a knife-edge vote on associated party transaction (APT) rules.
The rules were introduced by the following ‘s takeover by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. The idea was to prevent clubs from artificially inflating commercial deals with companies linked to their owners.
City, however, argued the rules discriminated against their ownership by the Abu Dhabi United Group, an investment company for the royal family of Abu Dhabi.
A pivotal vote, , is set to take place on Friday. At least 14 of the 20 clubs will need to vote in favour of updating the rules to allow the changes proposed by the to be implemented.
Wolves and Everton are now thought to be supporting the despite voting against stricter APT rules a year ago, according to . It suggests that City’s efforts to block the vote could fall just short of the seven clubs necessary to veto it.
Aston Villa are said to be supporting City, while further backing could arrive from United, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester City. This would see six clubs voting against the proposed changes, leaving them one shy of the magic number.
City brought their legal challenge in June after the rejected a lucrative sponsorship extension with Etihad, which was deemed to have not been of fair market value.
In their legal challenge, City reportedly said they were being impacted by a ‘tyranny of the majority’ when it came to associated party transaction rules, according to The Telegraph.
They also said the rules were ‘deliberately intended to stifle commercial freedoms of particular clubs in particular circumstances, and thus to restrict economic competition’.
The challenge was entirely separate to the ongoing probe into the 115 charges of alleged rule breaches facing City. A verdict on that front will not be announced until next year, though it is expected to arrive before the end of the current season.
MORE TO FOLLOW
We’ll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures, and video on this breaking news story.
Stay up to date with all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow us on Twitter @DExpress_Sport – the official Daily Express & Express.co.uk Twitter account – providing real news in real-time.
We’re also on Facebook @DailyExpressSport – offering your must-see news, features, videos, and pictures throughout the day to like, comment, and share from the Daily Express, Sunday Express, and Express.co.uk.