Beginning their FIFA Club World Cup campaign in a matter of days, Manchester City have made quite the splash in the summer transfer market.
Not only does this show their intent to win the $1bn (£735m) tournament, but it could also reinforce a strong hint to Arsenal and other rivals they are confident of escaping punishment over their 115+ charges of breaking Premier League financial rules.
Over two years since the 115+ alleged breaches were delivered, Man City are still not through the storm entirely. They have strongly maintained their innocence, arguing so in a three-month hearing ending last December, though still a final verdict is yet to be delivered.
Waiting in the wings are their Premier League rivals as the outcome could have catastrophic results for everybody whichever way the ruling goes.
Pep Guardiola was amongst those hinting towards a springtime decision earlier this year, though this did not come to fruition and now the 2025/26 campaign is on the horizon. Meanwhile, it is business as usual at the Etihad Stadium.
Four new arrivals have been confirmed in recent days at Man City. They are midfielders Rayan Cherki from Lyon and Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan, Wolves left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri and Chelsea reserve goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, all for a combined £110m.
This investment follows £175m-worth of signings in the January transfer window, which were made with a long-term plan in mind but also in an attempt to stop the rot midway through a campaign their title aspirations were quickly slipping away.
Additionally, striker Erling Haaland was rewarded with an unprecedented nine-year contract to stay in Manchester, which has reportedly equated to a £247m investment over that timeframe.
Plus Man City remain heavily invested in improving their infrastructure, being midway through the £300m build of a new stand on the north side of their stadium, and also previously committed funds to local projects including the £450m Co-op Live arena.
This expenditure, totalling almost £1.3bn, would be an incredible risk in the face of a possible guilty outcome to their case against the Premier League, especially when a mass point deduction all-but confirming relegation, severe financial penalties or future transfer embargoes have been speculated as potential punishments.
So, at the time a legal source of The Mirror’s commented: “It would be a huge shock if City’s owners decided to bankroll such a massive programme of investment if they were about to be relegated from the Premier League.
“Spending heavily in the transfer market and handing Haaland a new contract suggest that they feel they have cleared themselves of at least the most serious allegations. It is hard to see a different scenario. It would be like a convicted man buying a new Rolls Royce on the morning he expected to be given a 10-year prison sentence.”
It still remains unknown how long away a verdict is, with an independent commission tasked with reviewing each and every one of the 115+ charges levied against Man City since the conclusion of the trial last December.
Even if it is sprung over the summer break, they, Arsenal and every other member club in the top-flight could feel the repercussions for a long time as talk of an appeal process has not dwindled, no matter if it is the club or league who emerge as ‘victors’ from this case.
