lead-art-block.fullscreen-enterExpandPremier League chief executive Richard Masters said the Manchester City disciplinary case was not top of the list of topics raised when other clubs talk to him
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the Manchester City disciplinary case was not top of the list of topics raised when other clubs talk to him
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the long-running Manchester City disciplinary case was not necessarily “top of the list” of topics raised when other clubs speak to him, adding: “The Premier League moves on.”
City were charged by the Premier League in February 2023 with over 100 alleged breaches of its financial rules, charges which the club strenuously deny.
An independent commission heard the case between September and December 2024 but still no outcome has been delivered.
Masters has conceded the process has taken longer than he expected, but while many see that the case casts a continued shadow over the Premier League, he suggested it is not something which regularly comes up when he speaks to top-flight clubs.
Manchester City were charged by the Premier League in February 2023 but the outcome of the case remains unknown
Manchester City were charged by the Premier League in February 2023 but the outcome of the case remains unknown
“I obviously speak to clubs all the time. It’s not necessarily a topic of conversation that is top of the list,” he said.
“(There are) lots of other things to talk about and do. As you say, the Premier League moves on. It’s starting (again) on Friday evening.”
Masters was asked if there was a danger that the case may never be resolved, and replied: “It will resolve itself. I literally can’t say a thing about it. There’s only one available option, which is to allow the process to reach its natural conclusion.
“I can’t talk about the substance of the case. I can’t talk about the timing of the case. Our rules are very clear about that.”
Asked whether the league should implement rules to cap the length of time deliberations could take, or to look at using full-time panellists, Masters said: “We’ve always said that the commission need the time and space to do to their work.
“In the end, as you know, it’s the league’s job as the regulator, provided the evidence is there, to put serious allegations in front of independent commissions, that independent process to establish the truth.
“In the end, that process shouldn’t really be qualified by the elapsement of time or the amount of time it’s going to take to establish the truth.”
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters (Ben Whitley/PA)
Richard Garlick, the chief executive of champions Arsenal who kick off the defence of their title against Coventry on Friday, told the BBC that clubs do want “clarity” over the City case as soon as possible.
“It has gone on for a while,” he said.
“Everybody – the league and the teams – would want the clarity around what’s going to happen next.
“But it’s not something that I can control. It’s not something that I can speculate on. And I just hope that there is a solution very quickly.”
The investigation which ultimately resulted in more than 100 charges being laid started back in 2018.
Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick told the BBC clubs want “clarity” over the Manchester City case as quickly as possible
Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick told the BBC clubs want “clarity” over the Manchester City case as quickly as possible
City were charged in 2023 with failing to report accurate financial information for nine seasons stretching from 2009-10 to 2017-18, as well as failing to provide full details of former manager Roberto Mancini’s pay between 2009-10 and 2012-13.
They were also charged with failing to provide full details of remuneration in contracts with players between 2010-11 and 2015-16, and with failing to co-operate with the investigation over a period from 2018 to 2023.
The club said at the time the charges were laid that they welcomed the opportunity for a commission “to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of our position”.