Premier League hit with £50m bill amid Man City, Chelsea and Everton investigations

The Premier League are set for a huge £50million bill in legal fees after a series of investigations and arbitration hearings.

That's according to the Times, which claims the top flight's legal bill has soared after investigations into Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City. The report says the £50m bill last season is almost six times the amount the organisation had budgeted for.

It claims the Premier League had only anticipated fees of £8million and there will be questions raised over their legal bill at a shareholders meeting later on Thursday.

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There have been two significant costs involving Manchester City after an unprecedented number of cases, with Premier League chiefs expected to explain the costs incurred have been an effort to protect the integrity of the competition and enforce the rules and regulations.

Preparations for Man City's hearing into their 115 alleged breaches of financial regulations, has had a significant impact on the Premier League's legal bill. As has the club's with a separate legal challenge into the league’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, with the outcome of that thought to be imminent.

Chelsea have also been under investigation for alleged irregular payments during Roman Abramovich’s tenure as club owner, which were reported by the new owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake. Everton and Nottingham Forest were charged last season for breaching the competition's Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), with the Toffees charged on two separate occasions.

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