The lawyer who played an integral role in Newcastle United's 2021 takeover, Nick De Marco, is now taking the fight to the Premier League after the PFA threatened to take legal action.

The plan to bring in new financial rules in the Premier League has caused a letter to be sent by the players' union and the 20 member clubs alleging the deliberate withholding of information and a 'flagrant breach' of an agreement stating the PFA must be consulted on matters that impact both the pay and conditions of PFA players.

The new spending rules, if voted through, will see a squad-cost rule (SCR) introduced from next season, which will mean limits placed spending on transfers, wages and agents’ fees to a percentage of each club’s income. For clubs in Europe, the figure would be 70 per cent, with an 85 per cent limit for the rest of the division.

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An 'anchoring' system would also run alongside the new rules and would mean clubs are only able to spend five times what the bottom club earns in TV revenue. Speaking this week, football finance expert Kieran Maguire explained to Chronicle Live what each new rule change would mean for Newcastle.

"Anchoring would be excellent for Newcastle because it sets a level playing field in terms of the maximum an individual club can spend," he said. "But, at the same time, if they also have to comply with UEFA's rules, that would be the constraint.

"Squad cost controls are not good for Newcastle in terms of competitive balance. The people who are in favour of squad cost rules say they don't want Newcastle being able to buy the best 11 players in the world. I absolutely understand that, but why can't Newcastle have the same budget as Liverpool and Manchester United?

"They're not asking for more - they're asking for equality - but that seems to be one very moot point between the two parties."

The Premier League insist they have regularly discussed the new changes with the PFA and responded to the Times with a statement reading: “We are extremely disappointed that instead of engaging with the substance of the proposals, the PFA has chosen to issue legal demands.

“We strongly disagree with the PFA’s views regarding the proposed financial rules and the consultation process we are conducting with our clubs and other stakeholders. We have complied with PFNCC requirements and the PFA has had multiple opportunities since March 2024 to provide feedback on the rules and the principles that underpin them.”

PFA chiefs fear that top flights sides may approve new regulations at a 20-club meeting on Thursday. De Marco is leading the charge for the PFA after being instructed to act on its behalf earlier this year.

The sports barrister's legal victories have seen him dubbed the 'nemesis' of the Premier League; a nickname he isn't too keen on. Responding to the term on X recently, De Marco wrote: "Someone sent this to me today, (hadn’t seen it before) and suggested I should put “nemesis barrister” on my chambers profile.

"I’m not sure, I don’t plan to be anybody’s nemesis, I just try and represent all of my clients without fear or favour, acting in the best traditions of the independent Bar including the ‘cab rank’ rule. I know that’s not always appreciated in some disputes, especially it seems in sport where it can get very tribal, but that’s the truth."