Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been told that Manchester City’s clash with the Premier League could drag on until 2026. In February 2023, the English top flight charged Pep Guardiola’s side with 115 alleged breaches of financial regulations.
These include accusations that the club failed to provide accurate financial information and failed to cooperate with investigations spanning nine seasons (2009/10 to 2017/18). Manchester City strongly deny any wrongdoing, and the case is set to be heard by an independent commission later this year.
Speaking on the Inside Track podcast, former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness described the case as a ‘very tricky situation’ that could ‘damage’ the Premier League brand. He said: “There are two cases – the Man City legal challenge, and the 115 charges.
“With appeals, this could drag on for another two seasons. This is a very tricky situation to solve, and there has to be some way that this can be got through.
“People just don’t want it to drag on, they don’t need that. It affects the Premier League brand considerably. Sir Jim Ratcliffe has got to think about his points about the top six having more say. Here is one of the top six potentially damaging the whole Premier League more than anything else.
“If they want that responsibility, they’ve got to show responsibility and not galivant around shouting about a European Super League. Right now, these clubs are completely absent from any leadership position.”
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Speaking on the ‘We’re Not Really Here’ podcast by BBC Radio Manchester last month, Kieran Maguire was asked whether there’s a chance that City and the Premier League agree on a settlement before the hearing. The football finance expert said: “It would certainly save a lot of money on behalf of both sides.
“It could mean that both parties could claim a victory, but I think in terms of public opinion and the reaction there’s likely to be from both the media, and I suspect from other clubs, it’s not really something that would be palatable to the Premier League nor City.”
In an interview with The Times in May, Richard Masters provided a brief update on the hearing. The Premier League CEO said: “All we have said is that a date has been set for the hearing. We haven’t said when that is. Our rulebook requires these commissions to be held in private, and everything to be confidential.”
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