Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media
Stefan Borson
Tue 11 March 2025 9:04, UK
Manchester City are expected to hear the verdict in their legal battle with the Premier League soon after being handed 115 charges more than two years ago.
An independent commission hearing into the case started in September last year and ended in December, with the panel now considering its verdict.
The Premier League champions are accused of breaching the financial fair play (FFP) rules over a nine-year period and concealing payments through third parties by disguising them as sponsorship revenue.
Man City could face a second hearing after The Lawyer reported on 16 September any submissions over sanctions will take place following a finding on liability.
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider the case will likely drag on until the end of this season if the club are found guilty.
The Manchester giants’ lawyers are expected to appeal against any potential punishment after the club have been adamant they haven’t done anything wrong since the charges were handed out in February 2023.
Man City
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Borson revealed the appeal process could potentially take around six weeks if either party challenges the panel’s ruling.
He told Football Insider: “I think there’s been some sort of debate about whether you would have a split appeal process or whether effectively the parties will be told to wait until the full judgment and then to appeal the liability and the sanction together.
“I think it’ll be the latter. Otherwise, you could have the complexity where the liability hearing is being appealed while waiting for the sanction hearing, so that would seem to be a bit confusing.
“I think the appeal will probably have to wait until we’ve got the full verdict. If it’s a two-week sanctions set of submissions and a separate hearing, then you have got to then wait for the decision to come out on that.
“That itself could be a month, six weeks or maybe more. The Everton and the Nottingham Forest cases were effectively sanction hearings because liability had been admitted.
“We saw those took around six weeks, maybe longer from the actual panel to the decision, so this is going to drag on. Now it looks like it’s going to drag on until the end of the season.
“In some ways, that could suit everybody involved. It’s only going to drag on to the end of the season if City are found liable for anything. If they’re clear, then the question will be what will the Premier League want to do about an appeal?
“But if City are found liable for anything, this could drag on until the end of the season. In some ways, that’s positive in that it allows people to deal with it in the closed season to an extent.
“But if the sanction is very serious, then you’ve got the issue of what happens with relegation or which season do you take the points from and all of that sort of stuff. It’s always been complicated, and it remains complicated.
“I don’t think anybody’s got very precise answers at the moment.”
Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Manchester City and Ferran Soriano, CEO of Manchester City look on before the Emirates FA Cup Final match between ...
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Man City to accept Jack Grealish offers
In terms of matters away from their legal proceedings, Man City will accept offers for Jack Grealish if their reduced asking price is met.
The 29-year-old was an unused substitute on Saturday (8 March) despite Pep Guardiola’s side chasing the game at 1-0 down against Nottingham Forest.
Appearances (Starts) 26 (14)
Minutes Played 1319
Goals 2
Assists 5
Yellow Cards 4
Grealish’s Man City stats in the 2024-25 campaign (all competitions)
It is believed the England international is unhappy with his role at the Etihad almost four years after making his £100million move from Aston Villa.
Man City currently sit fifth in the Premier League table following their disappointing campaign.
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