Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal preserved their right to seek compensation from Manchester City after the club was found guilty of 114 financial charges.
In the wake of Manchester City being found guilty on 114 financial charges following an independent Premier League commission, details have resurfaced on how top-flight rivals protected their rights to legal restitution. Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur lodged formal legal notices back in November 2024 to reserve the right to seek compensation if City were found guilty.
As reported by Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy and highlighted by CentreGoals on X, the four clubs proactively initiated legal procedures well in advance of the trial’s completion.
The decision to serve formal legal notices in November 2024 was driven by legal advice regarding the six-year statute of limitations under English law. Under Premier League arbitration guidelines, rival clubs seeking financial damages over lost championship prize money, European qualification revenue, or broadcasting payouts risked being time-barred.
Lawyers advised that the six-year limitation period could date back to November 2018, when German publication Der Spiegel first published leaked documents concerning Manchester City’s financial affairs. By lodging formal notices prior to that six-year cutoff in late 2024, United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham successfully preserved their legal standing to pursue arbitration claims once the tribunal’s findings materialized.
Multi-Million Pound Financial Implications
With the independent commission ruling against Manchester City across key breaches related to undisclosed payments and inflated commercial income, the financial claims brought by rival clubs could reach hundreds of millions of pounds.
🚨🚨| NEW: Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal & Tottenham had already lodged 𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒 back in November 2024, reserving the right to seek compensation if Manchester City were found guilty. ⚖️🏴
[@MelissaReddy_] pic.twitter.com/wvPf6U3qev
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) September 25, 2026
For clubs like Tottenham and Arsenal, who narrowly missed out on titles or UEFA Champions League revenue during the seasons under investigation, arbitration could prove a significant avenue for compensation. While sanction proceedings and potential appeals remain ongoing, the foresight shown by the rival quartet in 2024 ensures they remain positioned to pursue full financial recourse.