The case surrounding Manchester City and the charges from the Premier League continues to twist and turn, with further changes expected in the coming weeks.
A general exterior view of Etihad Stadium, home stadium of Manchester City ahead of the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester City and Coventry City
Manchester City was reportedly found guilty of the Premier League charges(Image: (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images))
Manchester City is claimed to have known about the guilty verdict for all but one charge made by the Premier League since the summer.
That's according to ESPN, which reports that the club was informed of the decision that was made by the independent panel before it had begun its spending spree in the transfer window.
The initial decision is believed to have been communicated to Man City chiefs in July, adding a further twist to the tale, while an official verdict is still waiting to be revealed.
It comes as the latest update to the saga surrounding the club, with reports of a guilty verdict being the first major development since the charges were brought upon the club by the Premier League and an independent panel was assembled in 2023.
Those charges contained 115 alleged breaches, which included the failure to report accurate financial records, potential breaches of financial rules, and a lack of co-operation in the division's investigation. Man City has denied any wrongdoing throughout the process, with the investigations starting back in 2018.
The outcome of the independent panel's decision is yet to be made public, but reports surrounding a guilty verdict have ramped up in recent days. Man City is expected to appeal the decision, before the possibility of sanctions is brought forward.
Potential sanctions are wide-ranging, and could include anything from points deductions and fines, all the way to titles being stripped and demotion from the Premier League.
It remains to be seen what could follow, but Man City's reported knowledge of the verdict since July and the club's following actions in the transfer market certainly suggests there is still some confidence about its future.
A banner is on display welcoming Manchester City Manager Enzo Maresca during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester City and AFC Bournemouth
Manchester City oversaw plenty of changes over the summer, including the arrival of head coach Enzo Maresca(Image: (Photo by Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images))
The report from ESPN states that the Manchester club did not know the verdict when a deal had been agreed to sign Elliot Anderson for upwards of $150 million in early July, before he later signed on July 23.
Beyond that point, Man City continued to spend heavily in the transfer market, racking up over $590 million in transfer fees for a huge rebuild post-Guardiola, with Enzo Maresca driving the team forward.
It certainly points towards some confidence from the club, having continued to plough on with deals as usual after it seemingly learned of the guilty verdict, while that was backed up by City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak's statement on Saturday, where he looked to reassure supporters about the process, which he claimed "still has a long way to run".
It remains to be seen what could follow, as an official verdict is yet to be published, alongside an appeal process and the potential need for a separate sanctions panel to discuss the outcome.
However, with such a significant development, Liverpool and other Premier League clubs will be keeping a close eye on proceedings in the weeks ahead.