Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 charges of breaching Premier League financial regulations, but it has been alleged the club knew about the incoming verdict before spending £440m in the summer transfer window.
The club has been found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges levelled against them in 2023, with the news emerging on Friday afternoon. However, according to ESPN, insiders claim that City discovered their fate months earlier. The outlet says it had been informed that executives at City were first made aware of the independent panel's decision back in July, with the club continuing to invest heavily in their first-team thereafter.
Record-breaking summer spending
In total, seven senior signings landed at the Etihad Stadium, amounting to an eye-watering £450m, following the verdict – if the sources' assertions hold true. City shattered their own club transfer record twice, having secured Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson for £116m in late July, and Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for £125m on September 1.
Adding to that the purchases of Iliman Ndiaye from Everton for £65m, Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille for £86m, Allan from Palmeiras for £34m, Jeremy Monga from Leicester City for £12.5m and Geronimo Rulli from Marseille for roughly £1.7m, and you have the £440m City allegedly spent after learning their reported guilty verdict.
Club and league responses
City chose not to comment when approached by the press on Tuesday, while the Premier League stated on Friday that it would not be commenting due to the "private and confidential" nature of proceedings. This comes as City are expected to challenge Friday's reported verdict.
The club has consistently asserted their innocence throughout the entire saga, with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak penning a letter to fans on Saturday. In this letter, Al Mubarak expressed gratitude to City supporters for their ongoing backing, and affirmed that the club will continue to fight.
Potential sanctions and appeal
Premier League fans may have to wait to discover what sanction will be imposed on City, given that the league will not act until the whole process is concluded. City CEO Ferran Soriano appears to have hinted at another lengthy wait. Soriano attended a meeting in Copenhagen alongside Premier League officials this week, where he is thought to have said: "It has taken eight years to reach this point and it will still take much more time."
A range of potential penalties have been mooted since the reported guilty verdict was announced; these include fines and transfer embargoes. However, more severe penalties could result in City being stripped of their titles won between 2009 and 2018 – the timeframe when the supposed violations are believed to have occurred – as well as demotion from the Premier League or significant points deductions. Whether any of these punishments materialise remains uncertain, but nothing will be finalised until the outcome of City's appeal is returned.
