Manchester City have been warned that the distant resolution of their hearing into the 115 alleged breaches of financial fair play will do as much damage to them as the Premier League.
City won a fourth consecutive Premier League title last season as they pipped Arsenal to the championship on the final day of the 2023/24 campaign, their second title since 115 charges were laid against them by the Premier League in February last year.
Pep Guardiola’s side face a significant points deduction or if found guilty of the alleged breaches, which include failing to provide accurate financial information for nine separate seasons.
The state-owned club have also been charged with failing to co-operate with the investigation and handing over documents as required.
A further spanner was thrown into the works earlier this year as Man City launched an unprecedented legal battle against the Premier League as they campaign for the removal of Associated Party Transaction rules.
The APT hearing has already been heard, with a ruling expected in the next couple of weeks, and it’s previously been claimed that if Man City are successful, it would dramatically alter their FFP case as most of their charges would become redundant.
that ‘there is a belief that City have achieved some successes in the arbitration hearing’.
The report also explained that the hearing into the 115 alleged breaches has been moved up to start next next month, when previously it was expected to start later in the year, meaning the verdict isn’t too far away…
‘The independent commission had been expected to start in November but sources with knowledge of the case have said that it is now due to begin in mid-to-late September, unless there are further legal delays.
‘The hearing has been scheduled to last ten weeks, with the commission members expected to deliver their verdict at the start of 2025. The outcome of City’s separate legal case brought against the Premier League’s associated party transactions (APT) rules is set to be revealed in the next two weeks, which would then allow the 115 charges hearing to take place earlier.’
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Speaking to the BBC the day after the timeline was revealed, Premier League CEO Richard Masters insisted “it is time now for the case to resolve itself”.
And Keith Wyness, the former Everton CEO who now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs, believes that although he expects a number of appeals to drag the process out beyond the current season it s in City s best interests for the case to be resolved quickly.
He told Football Insider: “This is the granddaddy of all Premier League challenges to clubs.
“It’s massive, we’ll be sitting with a bowl of popcorn watching the event as much as we can.
“They’ve said it should last around 10 weeks, which brings us up to November. You’d hope to have an indication around Easter in the following year.
“But then we’ll see appeals and all sorts of things.
