EFL chief offers update on potential new spending cap limits - which could impact Sunderland's transfer plans

Last summer saw League One clubs limited to spending £2.5million per season on player wages, but the hard salary cap was later removed.

Many opposed the plans as it effectively limited the spending power of clubs such as Sunderland, who historically enjoyed a financial advantage due to the size of their fan base.

It had large repercussions for the Black Cats in the transfer market last summer with several targets unable to be pursued following the introduction of the salary cap.

But as it stands, clubs are currently set to operate under the old Salary Cost Management Protocols for the 2021/22 season – while a new squad limit may also be introduced in the third tier.

The EFL however, remain keen on introducing some tougher spending controls in the future.

And these plans could yet impact the upcoming season, with Parry insistent that the EFL will look to implement some new financial controls ‘as soon as we can’.

In a wide-ranging interview with FC Business Magazine, the EFL chairman said: "We had a hard cap in Leagues One and Two, but we had to come away from it because of procedural challenges and the Professional Footballers Association challenged it.

"The principle was accepted in the Championship and there was a lot of discussion about the amounts, but a hard cap poses challenges in the Championship.

"There are issues whether it would make clubs non-competitive, so we paused and there is a lot of debate now about moving ahead with some sort of percentage cap.

"There is an absolute commitment to move forward on this as soon as we can.

“Categorically we can, and we will.

"We are not trying to bring everybody down to the lowest common denominator,” he continued.

"It is all about sustainability and recognising that not everybody has a fortune to spend.

"This isn’t just about every club rising from the Championship to the Premier League, it is about enabling clubs to rise from non-league to the Championship.”

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