Premier League clubs have been warned about significant costs associated with the ongoing internal conflict that threatens to disrupt the harmony of English football's top division.

Reports from reckon that an increasing contingent are now siding with - in their efforts to get Associated Party Transaction (APTs) regulations ruled unlawful. It's unclear if , and are among those clubs to back City in an ongoing battle with the Premier League.

City's case - in relation to APTS - which found present rules incompatible with British competition law.

The reigning English top-flight champions are also going up against the in a separate case on 115 charges related to alleged breaches of the league's financial rules (FFP). That case started three weeks ago and is predicted to last at least eight to 10 weeks - with a verdict expected in the new year.

Everton and Nottingham Forest received points deductions last season for breaches of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), entangling them in two further costly legal confrontations. Now, Simon Leaf, who's a leading sports attorney at global law firm Mischon de Reya, believes that the world's richest national football league could face severe repercussions concerning negotiations for upcoming broadcasting and sponsorship agreements.

As quoted by The Mirror article, he said: "If the Premier League is seen fighting constant legal battles with its member clubs then that does serious damage to the brand. This is a league that is seen as one of the country's crown jewels. It's the envy of all the other leagues around the world.

"The damage might not happen overnight, but when the game is being played out in court rooms rather than on the pitch then it isn't the kind of thing that sponsors and broadcasters will want a piece of.

"There will be damage to the brand that you can't put a number on at the moment. It is often said that there is no such thing as bad news - but ultimately when it comes to external sponsors, especially from overseas, looking at who they want to partner with there maybe more of a temptation now to perhaps go with La Liga rather than the Premier League.

"A civil war like this really isn't good for business. It brings the Premier League into disrepute."

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there will be no quick fix to resolve the sponsorship row with City, but he has vowed that necessary amendments to APTs rules will be 'effectively remedied', and he's said to have emailed all 20 top-flight clubs to that tune this week.

Masters wrote that necessary amendments could be 'quickly and effectively' remedied. He's said to have stated that the Premier League now had 'a comprehensive set of information and data which is helping them to inform our recommended approach and rules amendment drafting'.