The Football Association have delivered a short official statement after Manchester City were found guilty of 114 Premier League financial-rule breaches over a nine season period.
The Football Association has stated Manchester City being found guilty of serious Premier League financial rule breaches has ‘significant implications for the integrity of the game’.
A general view of a corner flag inside the Etihad Stadium before Manchester City's match against Bayer Leverkusenplaceholder image
A general view of a corner flag inside the Etihad Stadium before Manchester City's match against Bayer Leverkusen
On September 29, Manchester City were found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought to them by the Premier League for breaching financial rules over a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018. It was a period in which City won three Premier League titles, three League Cups, the FA Cup and the Community Shield.
An independent commission delivered the verdict, which was formally confirmed earlier this week. Manchester City will appeal the decision.
Manchester City are expected to lodge an appeal against the guilty verdict (Martin Rickett/PA).placeholder image
Manchester City are expected to lodge an appeal against the guilty verdict (Martin Rickett/PA).
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It has led to significant speculation on the punishment that could soon follow should City prove unsuccessful in their appeal.
But the FA have now commented on the situation with a short but strong statement.
It read: “The Independent Commission’s decision has significant implications for the integrity of the game. We are carefully considering the decision and its implications and will take action where appropriate.
“As proceedings between the Premier League and Manchester City Football Club remain ongoing, we do not intend to comment further at this stage. We will, however, continue to monitor developments closely.”
The Premier League has imposed points deductions on Everton and Nottingham Forest for breaches of its financial rules in recent seasons, although City's case is substantially different in both its scale and the nature of the allegations.
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Newcastle United also faced the prospect of a points deduction in 2024 as they scrambled to comply with the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules. The sales of Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh, completed just hours before the June 30 accounting deadline, ultimately helped the club avoid a breach. Had Newcastle breached the rules, they were facing a 10-point deduction.
But selling Anderson to Nottingham Forest ultimately resulted in him joining Man City over the summer for £116million, representing a club record transfer at the time before Enzo Fernandez’s arrival from Chelsea for £125million later in the window.
City’s hypothetical punishment is likely to be severe, with significant fines, compensation to rival clubs such as Newcastle, the stripping of titles and relegation all discussed. But this situation is set to continue for much longer before any of those potential scenarios come to fruition.