Four of England's leading football clubs have written to officials calling for European governing body UEFA's financial fair play rules to be introduced into the Premier League.
A letter from Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool to league chief executive Richard Scudamore calls for full spending controls -- where clubs must break even -- without wealthy owners being allowed to cover clubs' losses.
But Premier League champions Manchester City, bankrolled by Abu Dhabi-based Sheikh Mansour, and European kings Chelsea, financed by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, are understood to be opposing any such spending controls.
When all 20 clubs meet next month they could agree on a compromise which will cover a fixed amount of losses to be covered by owners.
