Premier League clubs voted against closing a loophole in their Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR) rules, despite recent backlash at Chelsea’s use of it.

The Premier League’s attempt to close a loophole that allows clubs to use profits from selling hotels, training grounds, or other tangible assets to comply with financial fair play rules was reportedly unsuccessful. In April, Chelsea sparked outrage when they sold a hotel on their Stamford Bridge site to another company they own, in an effort to avoid breaching the Premier League’s PSR rules.

According to reports, the Premier League proposed a ban on clubs performing such actions at its Annual General Meeting, but only 11 of the 20 clubs supported the motion, falling short of the required two-thirds majority. The Premier League had aimed to emulate the EFL’s ban on using the sale of tangible assets in a club’s spending calculations, which was implemented in 2021 after multiple clubs sold stadiums and training grounds to themselves to avoid PSR breaches.

Chelsea sold hotels on their Stamford Bridge site to avoid breaching Premier League rules

Chelsea’s previous hotel sales caused outrage, with insiders claiming the club had approved the deal with the Premier League. However, the Premier League’s attempt to prohibit clubs from exploiting the loophole failed, as clubs voted against the proposed rule change.

During the meeting, Premier League clubs also dissented against Wolves’ proposals to abolish VAR, while clubs will also trial two forms of salary caps next season. Despite the recent backlash, the Premier League clubs voted against closing the PSR loophole.

The meeting also addressed Manchester City’s legal action against the Premier League over their concerns regarding the league’s rules on Associated Party Transactions (APT), but there was no discussion on the matter.