UEFA president Michel Platini has suggested European football’s break-even rule known as Financial Fair Play (FFP) could be “eased” with the executive committee to discuss the idea in June.

FFP was introduced in 2010 in an attempt to prevent rich owners from pumping unlimited amounts of cash into clubs and distorting the market. Under the rules, clubs who take part in European competition cannot spend more than their generated revenue.

“I think things will be eased,” Platini said yesterday. “It will be the executive committee which decides and you will know at the end of June.

“I think that the rules which have been made are very good. Financial fair play was voted for by the clubs.”

UEFA could not be reached for comment on the interview.

When the rules were introduced, Platini said UEFA would not hesitate to ban clubs who broke them.

However, in practice clubs have been allowed to negotiate settlements with UEFA’s financial control panel.

Manchester City and Paris St Germain were given fines of up to €60 million ($68.1 million) last season and had their squad sizes capped for the Champions League, although they could get €40 million back if they stick to the terms of their negotiated settlements.

Inter , Roma and Monaco are among clubs who have been fined and subjected to squad reductions in further settlements this year.

UEFA says Financial Fair Play has helped curb over-spending by clubs since it was introduced.

Critics have said that it prevents smaller clubs from growing and cements a status quo in which the same teams dominant the Champions League and European domestic leagues.

Belgian lawyer Jean-Luis Dupont has challenged the rules before the European Commission and in Brussels courts and has said decisions are expected soon.