The Premier League has reaffirmed its goal of finalizing a new long-term agreement with the English Football League (EFL) as quickly as possible. This proposed "New Deal" aims to significantly increase the amount of money that the Premier League sends to the 72 EFL clubs each year. The 10-year deal, which was shared with EFL clubs last week after high-level talks between the two leagues, includes a commitment to raise annual solidarity payments to the EFL by £163 million by the 2028-29 season. That would be more than double the current estimate of £134 million. Additionally, the deal includes an extra £81 million for the current season. The proposed increase in funding is linked to several new agreements. These include measures to control costs across the football pyramid, a plan to reduce the number of Carabao Cup semi-final matches from two legs to one to ease fixture congestion, and a position on the Saturday 3pm "blackout" rule, which currently limits live television coverage of matches at that time. The blackout rule is set to be reviewed as part of upcoming domestic TV deals. Top-tier clubs recently held their first shareholders' meeting since the season started in London, where they expressed a strong desire to reach an agreement quickly. In a statement, the Premier League said that a "fair and generous proposal" was formally presented to the EFL last month, and that talks between the leagues' executives have continued. The statement emphasized the Premier League's commitment to reaching a "football-led solution" as soon as possible, which would allow the EFL clubs to receive the additional funds this season. The mention of a "football-led solution" suggests that the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) could be called in to impose a resolution if the two leagues fail to agree. The IFR is set to release its "State of the Game" review soon, which will provide an assessment of the financial health of English football. Some believe this report could give the EFL more leverage in negotiations. However, EFL clubs have been warned by league executives that using the IFR's backstop powers could delay a deal for up to two years, with unpredictable outcomes. There is no indication that the release of the IFR's report is being treated as a deadline for finalizing the deal by the Premier League or its clubs. EFL clubs have been asked to provide feedback on the Premier League's offer ahead of more meetings scheduled for early next month. The EFL has not commented further, citing ongoing discussions.