Manchester City are patiently waiting on the outcome of their high-profile legal case against the Premier League into 115 alleged financial breaches. The trial lasted three months in late 2024, with the final arguments taking place during early December and, at the time, a verdict predicted to arrive in the Spring of 2025.
The month of March soon became when an outcome was expected with Pep Guardiola also predicting it to arrive at this point. "In one month, I think there will be a verdict and a sentence, and after we will see my opinion of what happened so far," he said in a press conference in early February.
A significant fine, big points deduction, Premier League expulsion and the stripping of major honours have all been mooted as possible outcomes. The most severe of punishments, which would be many Premier League titles being taken away, may benefit Arsenal after they finished second in City's two most recent domestic triumphs - although the alleged breaches from City date between a historic nine-year period between 2009 and 2018.
With so many charges lobbied against City, all of which they categorically deny as they have done throughout the entire process, it is possible they are only found guilty of some - if any. The more serious ones could result in points being docked or expulsion while the minor breaches would likely just be a fine.
However, until the outcome is discovered and a potential punishment follows, no one knows what might happen and when a verdict should arrive. Despite that, former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness has revealed what he has heard about the case.
"Both sides of the rumour mill are going strongly that Man City are going to escape - and that there's a settlement being done behind the scenes [ranging] to the Premier League may well win," Wyness told Football Insider.
"So, right now, you just pick your rumour and see where that goes. My own gut feeling - from the sources that I've been trusting so far - would tend towards City doing quite well in this case.
"I don't think both parties will come out of it unscathed, so let's wait and see." Such a verdict from Wyness certainly suggests that City are set for a positive outcome from their trial.