Arsenal have been mentioned in the latest Manchester City punishment verdict - amid the latter's ongoing legal battles against the Premier League.
The big football story continues to be the 100-plus financial charges, which City vehemently deny, lodged against them by the Premier League. A court case took place in late 2024 to determine an outcome - but that final verdict arriving has been regularly delayed from when it was first anticipated.
With no obvious indication things will be resolved soon, City are plotting a summer transfer window spree with Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz among their targets, according to the I Paper.
Alongside this, City have been in a fight regarding Associated Party Transaction Rules (APTs) as well with an initial victory secured. That matter has rumbled on, however, with the latest twist being a new challenge launched by City in response to sponsorship rules being amended after they were deemed unlawful by an independent tribunal.
As such, a new hearing has been scheduled for later this year with City having already made it clear they felt as though clubs like Arsenal, Everton, Brighton and Leicester City were getting special treatment from the Premier League when it came to loans.
City's argument is that route of funding is treated differently to sponsorship deals with companies linked to club owners. With all that being said, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has made a new verdict prediction, while giving his thoughts on the newest APT Rules updates, as well.
"Arsenal had a net interest cost of £5m in 2022 and £6m in 2023," he admitted to TBR Football. "The Kroenke loans aren't that critical in the overall picture, so I don't see this is as being an issue.
"There's a broader issue in the sense that City and Arsenal are the best of enemies.
"It's very, very personal between the two clubs. This is an opportunity to score points against Arsenal, and protect their own interests as far as City are concerned.
"I think we will see some sort of transitional rule with the APTs. We have already seen Brighton's loans from Tony Bloom have been converted into something which is between shares and debt. There will be discussions taking place between clubs, lawyers and accountants as to how existing loans can be reclassified as equity, and that will assist things going forward.
"I think, based on historical evidence, that City have got the upper hand over the Premier League. Nick DeMarco thinks it will be a score draw, where the Premier League will win some of the 115 charges, but City will have a far stronger case in others."
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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