Man City may not “get an initial decision before the end of May” in their financial fair play (FFP) case, according to former Citizens financial adviser Stefan Borson.
An independent commission hearing to examine 115 charges laid by the Premier League against Man City started in September.
The Premier League opened an investigation into Man City way back in 2018 and after a number of legal delays, charges were finally laid in February 2023 and the club were referred to an independent commission.
The charges against the Citizens relate to the requirement to accurately report financial information, including around the value of sponsorship deals, the submission of details of manager and player pay information and to a club’s responsibility as a Premier League member to adhere to UEFA’s financial regulations and to the league’s own profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).
They are also accused of failing to co-operate with the league’s investigation. In all, there are charges relating to every season between 2009-10 and 2022-23.
Man City issued a statement strenuously denying the allegations on the day the charges were brought, saying they they welcomed the opportunity for an independent commission “to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of our position”.
The club added: “As such, we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”
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Touching on reports that it has turned into a “split hearing”, former Man City financial adviser Borson insists that “even if there is a decision before March, there is still some way to go”.
Borson told Football Insider: “I think the key takeaway from the fact it’s gone this duration is that it’s going to take a long time to get the decision because of the volume of documentation that must have been gone through and the number of witnesses that must have been presenting to the panel.
“If this was in the courts, for something like a 12-week trial hearing, it could easily take over a year to get the decision.
“You would finish the trial and then just sit back and wait. At some point a year or more later, the decision comes out.
“I doubt it will be a year in this case before we get a decision, but I think it’s unlikely now that we are going to get anything before the end of March.
“We may not even get an initial decision before the end of May.
“We also understand from some of the coverage from The Lawyer publication that this is a split hearing.
“Within that split hearing, that means you are going to have liability, which is what’s going on now, and then if City are found to be liable, then there will be something on sentencing and sanctioning.
“Even if there is a decision before March, there is still some way to go.”