Back in November, Premier League sides voted against a new proposal that could have brought in a salary cap from the 2026/27 season.
Some of the UK's biggest player agencies were preparing to take legal action if the system was introduced in what would have been one of the most controversial move the English top flight has ever made.
Many fans argue that the gap between the top 6 sides and the rest of the league is only growing due to vast financial differences that are only growing larger.
A wage cap would kill the Premier League
Jeff Stelling has been named as the new brand ambassador for OLBG, which will see a new podcast The Jeff Stelling Show launched across all platforms
Speaking exclusively to Tribal Football, Stelling revealed that a wage cap would only hurt the Premier League and would allow other top leagues to take advantage by stealing away top players.
“Well, it would increase competitiveness, maybe, but what it wouldn't do is increase competitiveness in European terms with other nations, would it?
“No. So, we talked about Saudi. If we want to have any chance of keeping our players, then you want to be paying them top dollar, because you know the Saudis are. Maybe not a great example, because they're still going to pay way above the odds in Saudi Arabia.
“But from the perspective of, let's say, La Liga or Serie A, you know, if we've got wage caps, I can certainly see teams in those countries going out on the limb, paying above the odds, paying top dollar, and maybe we might lose more players to them.
“We lose a few as it is anyway. So I'm not sure a wage caps the answer. The best actors get the biggest fees. The best singers, they get the biggest fees. If you are the best at what you do, you deserve the right to be the best rewarded.”
Is the top 6 a myth?
Speaking more on the gap between the biggest clubs in the Premier League, Stelling admits that he does not think the divide is big enough to stop other clubs from finding success and that the top 6 is almost a myth in the modern game.
“No, I don't think so. I don't think so. Because we always used to talk about the Big Six. Well, who are the big six now? You know, we still include Manchester United in the big six? Of course, financially, we wouldn't do.”
“But, you know, look where they finished last season. Are we still including Tottenham in the big six? I mean, 17th last season. So, you know, if you looked at the table just now, and it may not finish this way, but obviously Villa are there, you know, right in touch. I mean, an absolutely brilliant season. Despite all of their financial restraints as well.
“They spent what, 30M? Maybe less than that during the course of the summer compared with sides that've spent £200M plus. So I think you can bridge the gap.
“We're not going to get the Brentford's winning the Premier League with all due respect. But there are plenty of sides outside that so-called big six that are capable of being up there. And never forget Leicester City.”