Manchester City
Premier League • England
Man City could learn FFP verdict ‘on Monday’ as analyst discusses ‘bad signal’
Pep Guardiola and Man City chief Khaldoon Al Mubarak
Manchester City may learn their fate in their FFP tussle with the Premier League as early as Monday, with an insider deliberating how the timing of the verdict could indicate the result.
The Premier League conducted a four-year investigation into Man City’s finances for the period dating 2009 to 2018, and subsequently charged them with breaking financial rules on more than 100 occasions. An independent commission heard the two sides’ arguments between September and December last year and are currently deciding their verdict.
It is alleged that Man City provided false accounts of revenue gained from sponsorship deals, while also failing to cooperate with the investigation. City strongly deny any wrongdoing and claim their ‘irrefutable evidence’ will successfully fight the Premier League off.
An announcement was expected before the end of March, though it still has not arrived. There is concern that the final verdict is ‘unlikely’ to emerge before the summer, which could see a potential appeal affect multiple campaigns.
Stefan Borson, a former financial adviser to City, has hinted that the club could find out the result as early as Monday.
Borson thinks it is ‘the sooner the better’ for Pep Guardiola’s side, as a significantly delayed verdict could be a ‘bad signal’ for them getting a points deduction or worse.
“We’re just coming into the early stages of when it really could have been coming out,” the observer told Football Insider.
“To be perfectly honest with you, if it came out on Monday, it wouldn’t be a massive surprise. But likewise, it wouldn’t be a massive surprise if it came out in June.
“Unfortunately, we are dealing with very complicated deliberations, but also just a very long, very detailed judgement and decision that’s needed.
“If you listen to 12 weeks of evidence, it’s going to take some time to write up your findings.
“Now, I do think the sooner the better for City, not only in terms of disruption to the club but also just the likelihood that they’ve prevailed on the important stuff.
“I do think that if it went on a very long time, say way beyond the summer, that would be a bad signal.
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“But right now, I think it’s broadly neutral as to whether it’s come out or not. I don’t think you can read anything into that at all.
“There were insiders or lawyers that were apparently saying it was going to be January. I would go so far as to say that was impossible.
“If you looked at how long the APT [associated party transaction] hearing took to get a result, that took two months, and that was a two-week hearing. It was relatively simple.
“These things just take time, and people just have to wait. It’s irritating, but it’s just the way it is.”
It was claimed on Thursday that City are ‘piling pressure’ on the league, having also accused them of enforcing unfair APT rules.
City believe the Premier League could become unbalanced financially, with shareholder loans having allegedly helped rival clubs such as Arsenal and Everton.
The Premier League will likely have to pay out around £100million in legal fees over the course of the season as they challenge City in numerous cases.
Man City news: £100m signing quote; Ederson replacement
Meanwhile, City have been told they will have to fork out a further £100m to sign a top Premier League performer this summer.
Guardiola is preparing for a big rebuild as several senior stars could follow Kevin De Bruyne out of the Etihad.
Goalkeeper Ederson is among those who might depart.
Reports claim City have drawn up a £21.7m offer for a goalkeeper to replace Ederson.