Manchester City are taking unprecedented legal action against the Premier League, The Times has exclusively revealed.

The legal challenge centres around the league's Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, regarding commercial and sponsorship deals with companies owned or associated with the club's owners.

Those rules currently dictate such transactions have to be independently assessed to be of fair market value and have been a topic of scrutiny for some time.

In February, clubs voted to approve tougher rules regarding how such deals are valued. 

Initially introduced in December 2021 in the wake of Newcastle United's sale to the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, the rules are designed to prevent clubs from inflating commercial deals with companies linked to their owners.

The Times reports City believe the rules are "unlawful" and they want to seek damages for revenue lost by preventions made by those rules.

Within a 165-page legal document, City argue they are victims of "discrimination" and say the Premier League's decision-making process of needing 14 out of 20 clubs to agree is a "tyranny of the majority".

The dispute will be settled during a two-week private arbitration hearing beginning on Monday.

The other 19 clubs have been invited to participate in the legal proceedings, with between 10 and 12 reportedly stepping forward, providing either witness statements or a letter detailing evidence in support of the Premier League's defence against the claim.

The result of this legal battle could affect the outcome of City's hearing into their 115 charges of alleged rule-breaking related to financial fair play, which is due to take place in November.

Kevin De Bruyne admitted he is "open to everything" when asked about the possibility of leaving Manchester City for the Saudi Pro League.

The decorated midfielder is heading towards the final year of his contract with City, who he joined from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg in 2015.

Since then, the Citizens have won six Premier League titles, five EFL Cups, two FA Cups, the Champions League and Club World Cup, with De Bruyne playing a starring role in his side's success.

However, the 32-year-old had to make do with a more limited role during the 2023-24 season, in which City landed a record-breaking fourth successive league crown, playing just 26 times after missing five months of action through injury. 

And he may consider departing the Etihad Stadium, after revealing he could "earn an incredible amount of money" by spending two years in Saudi Arabia.

"I still have one year of my contract, so I have to think about what can happen," De Bruyne told Belgian broadcasters VTM.

"For Michele [his wife], an exotic adventure is OK. These are also conversations that we are increasingly having as a family.

"My eldest [child] is now eight years old and knows nothing but England. He also asks how long I will play at City. Once the time comes, we will have to deal with it in a certain way.

"At my age, you have to be open to everything. You talk about unbelievable amounts in what may be the end of my career. Sometimes, you have to think about that."

The Belgium captain is gearing up for Euro 2024, where Domenico Tedesco's side will play Ukraine, Romania and Slovakia in Group E.

The Red Devils will complete their preparations with friendlies against Montenergro and Luxembourg this week.

Andy Robertson says he is "excited" to work with new Liverpool manager Arne Slot and is hopeful the club can pick up where it left off under Jurgen Klopp.

The Dutchman officially took over at Liverpool on Saturday after making the switch from Feyenoord after three successful seasons.

He led Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title in 2023 and won the KNVB Beker this season, while also being named Manager of the Year on two occasions.

Robertson, who was signed by Klopp in July 2017, said that while he has not spoken to Slot, he is looking forward to seeing what is in store for Liverpool this season.

"I haven't spoken to [Slot] yet," Robertson, who is preparing for Scotland's European Championship campaign, said to Sky Sports. "I think he's leaving us to focus on the Euros.

"It's an exciting new challenge. Obviously, the old era was pretty special, and I've got a lot to be thankful for for that manager, but excited now by the new manager coming in – new ideas, new voice – and I'm really excited for what can come with that.

"I've got no doubts we can keep that momentum going. From all the reports we've had, the manager's very good and I can't wait to see that up close."

Klopp ended Liverpool's 30-year wait for a top-flight title when they won the Premier League for the first time in 2020 and also won the Champions League, the FA Cup, two EFL Cups and the Club World Cup during his nine years in charge.

Robertson admitted Klopp's legacy might be tough to live up to, but he had faith the team would be able to get off to a good start under Slot.

"The last eight, nine years were pretty special. Maybe they're going a bit into the unknown, but it has to be exciting; the squad's in a good place, we had a good season last season," he added.

"Yes, it could have been more, but the aim at the start of the season was to get back in the Champions League, and we ended up with a trophy as well. You have to take that as a positive.

"[Klopp] has left the club in a really good place so now we have to carry it forward. The manager will come in, and he'll recruit a really good squad, and I'm sure he'll want to bring in some new faces as well.

"We have to go again. We showed for large parts of last season we could challenge for the league and that has to be the aim. The manager has won trophies before, and he'll want that feeling again. We’ve got to be at our best to try and achieve that."

Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea's players "deserve great credit" in his first public statement since leaving Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine departed the Blues last month after just one season in charge, despite a strong end to the Premier League campaign helping secure a sixth-place finish and return to Europe.

Pochettino's youthful squad had a slow start to the season to reach the EFL Cup final and FA Cup semi-finals, while winning each of their last five league games.

However, a trophyless campaign led the 52-year-old to part company with the club by mutual contest, with former Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca named his successor earlier this week.

Nevertheless, Pochettino paid tribute to the squad in his first social media post since exiting the five-time Premier League champions.

"We know there have been ups and downs, but we always believed in this team and that we would arrive at a consistent level," he wrote on Instagram.

"They deserve great credit and I hope you felt that too in how they performed on the pitch. I believe the experiences of this season and big improvement we saw, I hope will only make the players stronger for the future."

Pochettino will be back at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, when he leads the World XI against England in the annual Soccer Aid charity match.

Enzo Maresca says it is a "dream" to be appointed as Chelsea’s new head coach.

Maresca has signed a five-year deal, as announced by Chelsea on Monday, with the option to extend for a further year.

He comes in as Mauricio Pochettino's replacement after the Argentinian left the club by mutual consent last month after just one season in charge.

In a statement on the club’s website, Maresca said: "To join Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world, is a dream for any coach. It is why I am so excited by this opportunity.

"I look forward to working with a very talented group of players and staff to develop a team that continues the club's tradition of success and makes our fans proud."

He joins from Leicester City having guided them back to the top-flight as winners of the Championship at the first attempt last season.

Maresca is the Blues' fourth managerial appointment since Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital bought the club in May 2022. 

Chelsea have announced the appointment of Enzo Maresca as the club's new head coach.

The former Leicester City boss has put pen to paper on a five-year deal, with the option for the club to extend his stay for another year.

Maresca replaces Mauricio Pochettino, who left Chelsea by mutual consent last month after just one season in charge.

The Italian oversaw Leicester's promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt in 2023-24, the Foxes topping the Championship table with 98 points.

In a statement, Chelsea's co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: "We are delighted to welcome Enzo to Chelsea. 

"He has proven himself to be an excellent coach capable of delivering impressive results with an exciting and identifiable style.

"Enzo has deeply impressed us in our discussions leading up to his appointment. His ambitions and work ethic align with those of the club. We thoroughly look forward to working with him."

Former midfielder Maresca, who was a two-time UEFA Cup winner with Sevilla, began his coaching career on the staff at Ascoli – then of Serie B – in 2017.

He then joined Manchester City in August 2020 as manager of their Elite Development Side, who he guided to the Premier League 2 title in his first season, before a six-month stint in charge of Parma.

Maresca returned to City in June 2022 as an assistant to Pep Guardiola, before replacing Dean Smith at Leicester 12 months later and subsequently guiding the former Premier League champions back into the top flight.

The 44-year-old, who becomes the eighth different Italian to manage Chelsea, will enjoy his first taste of European football as a coach next season. 

Although the Blues initially qualified for the Europa League having finished sixth in the Premier League, they dropped into the Europa Conference League following Manchester United's FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.

Everton will "assess all options" regarding the club's ownership after a proposed takeover by 777 Partners fell through on Saturday.

Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri agreed to sell his 94 per cent stake in the club to the US-based consortium last September, but the Premier League refused to sign off on the takeover.

The deal was repeatedly delayed as 777 failed to meet the Premier League's required conditions of ownership, though the consortium provided financial support to the club for several months. 

Everton lost eight points to two deductions in 2023-24 for breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, but still finished 14 points clear of the relegation zone.

Moshiri is now looking for alternative buyers to come forward, with Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor having expressed an interest in investing last month.

The club said in a statement: "The agreement between 777 Partners and Blue Heaven Holdings Limited for the sale and purchase of the majority shareholding in the club expired today. 

"The board of directors recognises the considerable level of financial support 777 Partners has provided the club over recent months and would like to take this opportunity to thank them for this.

"The club will continue to operate as usual while it works with Blue Heaven Holdings to assess all options for the club's future ownership.

"The board of directors would like to thank everyone connected to Everton for their patience over recent months and reiterate its commitment to providing further updates when it is appropriate to do so through the club's official communication channels."

The Brazilian Football Association (CBF) confirmed Lucas Paqueta will remain in Brazil’s Copa America squad despite being charged over alleged breaches of betting rules by the English Football Association (FA).

Last August, it was reported the FA had opened an investigation into suspicious betting activity surrounding Paqueta, who said he was cooperating with the FA’s probe in March.

The West Ham midfielder is accused of intentionally seeking to receive a card in four different Premier League fixtures, three in the 2022-23 season and one on the opening matchday of 2023-24, with the charges brought against him last Thursday.

Paqueta, who has until June 3 to respond to the charges, addressed the situation on social media saying, "I deny the charges in their entirety and will fight with every breath to clear my name."

Now, the CBF has confirmed that Paqueta will be staying in the national squad for the upcoming tournament following discussions between the two football associations.

"Given the facts reported by the English Federation, the CBF, supported by the joint opinion from the Legal and Governance and Compliance Directorates and the Integrity Unit, has decided to maintain the player's call-up," the CBF said in a statement signed by president Ednaldo Rodrigues.

"Based on the information provided by the FA, it is categorically concluded that the player, Lucas Paqueta, despite the behaviour for which he was accused authorising preventive removal [from the squad] ... has not been penalised to date by the prosecuting body authorised to sanction him.

"It is right to say that the player is free to perform his professional job until the present moment, the source of his livelihood and that of his family, in a full and unrestricted manner, whether for his club or his country's national team."

Selecao are nine-time winners of the Copa America and will kick off their campaign against Costa Rica in Group D on June 24.

Former Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke believes Unai Emery has done a "remarkable job" and hopes they can maintain the new level they have reached.

Emery joined Villa in November 2022 when the club was in a relegation fight, and led them to a seventh-place finish, securing qualification to the Europa Conference League.

In his first full season in charge, the Spaniard oversaw another impressive campaign as the Villans finished fourth in the Premier League, ensuring Champions League football for the first time since 1982-83.

Villa also reached the semi-final of the Europa Conference League after seeing off Ajax and Lille in the knockout stages, but were knocked out by eventual champions, Olympiacos.

On Monday, Villa confirmed that Emery had signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2029.

Yorke, who spent nine years at Villa between 1989 and 1998, says the club have finally found the right balance.

"They've got good backers, good owners, invest heavily in their team and that shows what they want, but they've got also you need a correct manager and I think Unai Emery has come into that category," Yorke told Stats Perform.

"Villa is a tremendous football club. Emery has done a remarkable job to get Villa in the Champions League, a bit like Newcastle last season in many respects.

"Now the expectation is can he now really show what kind of manager he is? Now the [board] and the chairman will back him, bringing new players, bringing players to enhance that team, and they are going to try and maintain that [status as a top club].

"If he does that next year and qualifies for the Champions League again, plus probably win a cup, I think he then shows what really a true fantastic manager he is for Villa.

"To achieve their goal this season, I think the chairman, the fans, everybody will be thrilled that Villa is in the Champions League next year."

Despite their strong season, Yorke admits that Villa will need to think about adding to their squad to cope with the demands of playing in the Champions League.

"You have got to say to the owners, listen I need another three, four, five players to come in because now you're playing with the big boys, you're going from Champions League to the Premier League to the Champions League with the big boys," he added.

"You need a squad to be going into these games. The players will find it totally different because they're not used to that.

"They have got get used to that very quickly, but you've got an experienced manager in that type of way of playing [in Europe as well as domestically]. It will be new for Villa.

"It will be interesting to see how they handle that type of story going forward, how they handle the Champions League.

"It takes a really unique manager to then get a team advancing out of that group, then into the latter stage from the round of 16.

"[If Emery does that], now you're showing your true colours, but I think they've got to add maybe three or four new players to the squad that will help them to make sure that they can maintain [a challenge] on both fronts."

After speculation about his future at the club, Kieran McKenna has signed a new four-year contract at Ipswich Town.

McKenna took over at Ipswich in December 2021, with the club in League One, and has since led them to back-to-back automatic promotions.

The Tractor Boys finished the Championship season in second, just one point behind champions Leicester City, to secure Premier League football for the first time in 22 years.

That feat also earned McKenna the League Managers Association’s Manager of the Year award, as he beat Pep Guardiola to the award.

Since then, the Northern Irishman has been linked to a move away from Ipswich, with Brighton, Chelsea and Manchester United all thought to be interested in him at some stage.

After signing his new contract, McKenna told the club website: "I am extremely proud to have signed a new contract with the club.  

"We have enjoyed incredible success together over the last two seasons and I'm excited to have the opportunity and responsibility of leading this fantastic club into its first season in the Premier League in 22 years.

"Preparation and planning for the challenge ahead has been ongoing since we won promotion at the beginning of May, with plenty of work still to do before the start of the new season at what is such an exciting time for everyone at the club. 

"I am so happy to have committed my future to taking the next step with Ipswich Town and am really excited for what's ahead as we continue this journey together.

Bernardo Silva admits he prefers team awards over individual honours and would choose the Champions League over a Ballon d’Or if given the chance.

Silva was a key figure as Manchester City retained their Premier League title for an unprecedented fourth consecutive season, making 33 appearances in the competition.

The midfielder chipped in with six goals during their title charge, adding nine assists, while also scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup semi-final – a competition they ultimately lost to Manchester United.

Since joining City in July 2017, Silva has won 13 major honours, including six Premier League trophies, two FA Cups, a Champions League, and the Club World Cup.

The Portugal international was ranked the eighth-best men’s player of 2023, but when asked about the subject, he admitted that he does not rate individual awards as highly as those won by a team.

"Recognition is always nice," he told Sky Sports.

"In my opinion, I give the right amount of importance to these awards, because, at the end of the day, we are playing a collective sport. Nowadays, the individual awards always go to the strikers because they have that last touch.

"But if you understand the game, a person who is inside the game, either a player or a manager, you know how important it is to have a proper goalkeeper, a proper defender, a proper midfielder and a proper striker. Not just a proper striker.

"Strikers do not win you titles alone. The base comes from defence. If you defend well, you will attack better. When I look at individual awards and I see that only the guys who score goals win the awards, I feel a bit like it does not represent our sport that well.

"I always do my best to support my team-mates and do what is best for the team. In the end, winning the Champions League is much better than winning a Ballon d'Or. I would not swap it. No chance."

Silva’s attention now turns to Euro 2024 as Portugal aim to challenge for their second title in the competition.

The 29-year-old missed their success in 2016 due to injury, and he concedes there was a "mix of emotions" at seeing Portugal win their first major tournament while not being able to have an impact.

He said: "I was so frustrated before the competition for not going because I wanted to be a part of it. I did all the qualifying. It would have been my first big tournament, and I would have been there, but I got injured.

"But then, in the end, when they won it, I am Portuguese. Everyone was so happy; all my family, all my friends, everyone. So, it was a mix of frustration for not being there but also being very happy because it was our first big title as a country."

However, Silva is up for the challenge of competing in the 2024 edition.

"You are representing your whole country, your family and friends. We are all human. You are going to feel [the pressure] more. Playing for Portugal is always a bit different and special," he added.

"If you love the game, you want to do it well. And if you want to do something well, you feel that responsibility. That is why you feel pressure. In a way, that pressure is a good thing. It is your mind and your body telling you that you want this.

"It is up to you to try to control these emotions."

Portugal begin their Euro 2024 campaign in Group F against the Czech Republic on June 18.

Vincent Kompany admits "it's a great honour" to have been named Bayern Munich's new head coach, and is confident "success will follow" at the Allianz Arena.

The former Burnley boss has put pen to paper on a three-year deal with the Bundesliga giants, after succeeding the outgoing Thomas Tuchel.

Kompany's appointment is widely regarded as a surprise one, with the former Manchester City captain unable to keep Burnley in the Premier League in 2023-24.

Nevertheless, the Belgian now finds himself at one of Europe's biggest clubs, and cannot wait to get started.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge of FC Bayern," he told the club's official website. "It's a great honour to be able to work for this club - FC Bayern is an institution in international football.

"As a coach, you have to stand for what you are as a character: I love having the ball, being creative - but we also have to be aggressive and courageous on the pitch.

"I'm now looking forward to the basics: working with the players, building a team. Once the basis is right, success will follow."

"Vincent Kompany is the type of coach who fits in very well with FC Bayern's playing philosophy and identity," sporting director Christoph Freund added. 

"His teams want the ball, and want to play dominant and high-intensity football. He's a young, very ambitious coach with a lot of international experience.

"He has his finger on the pulse when it comes to the players and knows exactly what needs to happen on the pitch. He can and will give our team an enormous amount."

Bayern Munich have confirmed the appointment of Vincent Kompany as their new head coach.

Kompany has joined Bayern on a three-year deal, and comes in as Thomas Tuchel's replacement.

The former Manchester City captain, who began his coaching career in Belgium with Anderlecht, could not keep Burnley in the Premier League in 2023-24.

Indeed, the Clarets were relegated following a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Turf Moor in their penultimate match of the season.

Yet, less than two weeks after the campaign's conclusion, Kompany has been installed as boss of one of Europe's biggest clubs. 

The 38-year-old joins Bayern after Tuchel confirmed talks over potentially reversing the decision for him and the club to part ways, which came in February, had ended.

Bayern lost their last game of the Bundesliga season to finish in third place, having failed to win any of the four trophies they were in contention for, seeing their dominance of Germany's top tier ended by Xabi Alonso's unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen team.

Alonso had been Bayern's primary target, but their former midfielder has elected to stay at Leverkusen for next season.

Bayern were also linked with Roberto De Zerbi, who has just left Brighton, and Brentford coach Thomas Frank, while they were turned down by Austria coach Ralf Rangnick. Mauricio Pochettino, who left Chelsea on Monday, was also rumoured as a potential option.

Kompany, then, is a surprise pick, but Bayern will be hoping he rediscovers the magic touch he had during his first season at Turf Moor in 2022-23, when he guided the Clarets to promotion from the Championship, earning 101 points in the process.

However, Kompany's possession-based, front-foot approach was badly exposed in the Premier League, with Burnley winning just five games on their way to taking 24 points as they finished 19th, going back down alongside Luton Town and Sheffield United.

He leaves Burnley having managed 96 games, winning 41 (42.7 per cent) of those matches.

In a statement, Burnley said they were "initially confident" of keeping Kompany at the club, but claimed "the changing dynamics of the situation made this impossible". 

"We understand the allure and prestige of a club like Bayern Munich and respect Vincent's ambition to explore new opportunities," the statement continued. 

"We wish only the best for Vincent and would like to put on record our appreciation for his dedication every single day he was a part of this football club. 

"Our priority remains the stability and success of Burnley, and we will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure that our ambition is realised, namely our return to the Premier League."

Bournemouth have made Enes Unal's stay at the Vitality Stadium permanent, with the striker signing a four-year contract after a productive loan spell with the club.

Unal arrived on loan from Getafe in January and made 16 Premier League appearances throughout the second half of 2023-24.

While he largely served as a deputy to star striker Dominic Solanke, Unal did manage two goals as Bournemouth finished 12th, just one point adrift of a top-half finish.

Unal's first Premier League goal was a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Sheffield United in March, while he was also on target in a 3-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion in late April. 

Bournemouth set a new top-flight club record by earning 48 points in their first season under Andoni Iraola, enjoying a dramatic upturn after failing to win any of the Spaniard's first nine league games at the helm.

Unal – who missed the first half of 2023-24 with a cruciate ligament tear – told the Cherries' website: "I enjoyed testing myself in the Premier League while regaining my fitness. I am really excited for the years ahead."

Tottenham have agreed another loan deal with RB Leipzig for Timo Werner to remain at the club for 2024-25, with the club holding an option to make the move permanent next year.

Werner joined Spurs on loan in January and immediately assumed an important role in Ange Postecoglou's team, contributing two goals and three assists in 14 appearances in all competitions.

He saw his season ended prematurely by a hamstring injury in May, but Tottenham always appeared keen to keep him at the club for next season.

Postecoglou's side will play in the Europa League in 2024-25 after finishing fifth in the Premier League, and Werner will be an option across the frontline again next season.

Reports suggest Tottenham could have made the move permanent this year for £15million, but the extended loan deal includes a buy clause estimated at £8.5million.