Aston Villa have been charged with allegedly making an illegal approach for Southampton striker James Beattie.
The charge relates to comments made by Aston Villa manager David O'Leary earlier in the season. An independent commission has been appointed to investigate but no date has yet been set.
Aston Villa have a shortage of strikers after England forward Darius Vassell was ruled out of action for three months with a fractured ankle.
Beattie, who scored 14 league goals last season and has five England caps, is contracted to Southampton until the end of the 2005/06 season.
"We felt that Aston Villa made an illegal approach for James Beattie while he was still under contract to us and without our permission," Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe told his club's website.
"The Premier League have set up a commission to look into this so we await their verdict with interest."
