The end appears in sight for Manchester City’s 100-plus alleged financial breaches trial as closing arguments in the landmark hearing begin next month.
Insiders have confirmed that the vast majority of evidence has now been heard in the most seismic case that the Premier League has ever brought.
The Lawyer magazine reports the hearing is currently paused as City and the league’s legal teams prepare closing arguments.
Telegraph Sport has been informed separately that the case is now close to wrapping up. Concluding evidence in early to mid-December fits with a timeline initially set out privately to legal teams at the start of the hearing. A verdict before the end of the season remains easily within reach, legal sources claim. City and the league declined to comment.
The hearing has taken place at a central London arbitration centre during a fraught season for City on and off the pitch. Last week, the club’s separate opposition to Premier League amendments to associated-party transaction rules failed to stop 16 other clubs voting through changes at a shareholder meeting.
Pep Guardiola has signed a contract extension at the club, but a chastening collapse to draw 3-3 against Feyenoord on Tuesday came after a five-game losing run for the champions.
The charges against City, who deny wrongdoing, include 54 failures to provide accurate financial information from 2009-10 to 2017-18, 14 failures to provide accurate details for player and manager payments from 2009-10 to 2017-18, five failures to comply with Uefa’s rules including financial fair play (FFP) from 2013-14 to 2017-18, seven breaches of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability (PSR) rules from 2015-16 to 2017-18 and 35 failures to co-operate with Premier League investigations from December 2018 to February 2023.
Allegations came to light in leaked material published by German newspaper Der Spiegel. City have always said these leaked emails were obtained illegally. Potential expulsion from the league is among available punishments should the club be found guilty, along with points deductions and fines.
The case cannot go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), but either side could appeal, prompting speculation the saga could take years to be resolved.
In a 2020 judgment, Uefa banned City from the Champions League for two seasons and fined them €30 million (£25 million). However, the punishment was overturned by Cas.