Manchester City are leading opposition among Premier League clubs to a proposed £1.5bn financial settlement with the English Football League, ahead of a vote by the 20 top-flight clubs on Thursday. The Premier League hopes to resolve the long-running dispute before the new season begins, but City have drawn up a counterproposal amid concerns over how the package would be funded, with several other "Big Six" clubs sharing similar reservations, though it remains unclear how many are willing to back City publicly.

The offer would see the Premier League pay an average of £150m a year over 10 years, funded partly by raising the levy on transfer fees from 4% to 6%, a change that would hit the bigger-spending clubs hardest. An initial £100m payment would be made this season if approved, rising in subsequent years to 2035-36, with 80% of funds allocated to Championship clubs, 12% to League One and 8% to League Two. The Premier League needs 14 votes to pass the proposal and says it is "cautiously optimistic", though EFL chair Rick Parry is reportedly holding out for a larger deal, and City remain isolated after irritating other clubs with late rule-change amendments in June, all while awaiting an independent tribunal's verdict on its 115 alleged Financial Fair Play breaches.