Man Utd legend Gary Neville claims it’s a “disgrace” that there hasn’t been a verdict in the Premier League’s financial fair play [FFP] case against Man City.
The Citizens have had a poor campaign under Pep Guardiola this term after winning the Premier League title in each of their previous four campaigns.
Guardiola’s side, who are currently third in the Premier League with a game to play, have had the shadow of their FFP case hanging over them all season with a verdict expected by now.
An independent commission hearing to examine 115 charges laid by the Premier League against Man City started in September and ended in December.
The Premier League opened an investigation into Man City way back in 2018 and after a number of legal delays, charges were finally laid in February 2023 and the club were referred to an independent commission.
The charges against the Citizens relate to the requirement to accurately report financial information, including around the value of sponsorship deals, the submission of details of manager and player pay information and to a club’s responsibility as a Premier League member to adhere to UEFA’s financial regulations and to the league’s own profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).
READ: Man City FFP: Five potential punishments ranked on impact severity with verdict coming soon
They are also accused of failing to co-operate with the league’s investigation. In all, there are charges relating to every season between 2009-10 and 2022-23.
Man City boss Guardiola said in February that he expected “a verdict and a sentence” in one month (March) but that didn’t come as the date continues to be a secret.
Guardiola said: “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. Still, at the end, every club can do whatever they want.
“Because in the last 10 years we are third [for net spend], but in the last five even with what we won we are behind the top six teams so I’m sorry for the comments and that is why I don’t agree.
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“In the last five years, we are the last team in the top six. Even after what we have spent in this transfer window, we are away from Chelsea, United, Arsenal, Tottenham.
“Even from Liverpool. The only reason why is we sell a lot in the last seasons but even with that I know this club, it is always ‘just about the money.'”.
With no verdict on the horizon, former Man Utd defender Neville is becoming increasingly annoyed at the lack of action.
Neville said on the latest episode of The Overlap: “That Manchester City case is a disgrace; it’s an absolute stain to the game.
“I have a lot of admiration for City, but I don’t buy into this theory that clubs do really well, and City have, but it is still a stain to the game.
“It has just been dragging on for years and years, it’s an absolute joke. Yes, City have been defending themselves, but they’ve been pushing it so far into the long grass that you end up losing the will to live on it and you forget about it. It just needs to be dealt with.”
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire recently gave his verdict: “I think we will see some sort of transitional rule with the APTs. We have already seen Brighton’s loans from Tony Bloom have been converted into something that is between shares and debt.
“There will be discussions taking place between clubs, lawyers and accountants as to how existing loans can be reclassified as equity. Therefore, that will assist things going forward.
“I think, based on historical evidence, that City have got the upper hand over the Premier League. Nick DeMarco thinks it will be a score draw where the Premier League will win some of the 115 charges but City will have a far stronger case in others.”
When asked recently in a Q&A for The Athletic whether there had been any developments in Man City’s FFP saga, journalist David Ornstein wrote: “Zero.”