Manchester United have reportedly assessed the financial ramifications of Manchester City's Premier League rule-breaking, with players potentially having claims for reparations after missing out on Champions League qualification and titles to their city rivals during the years City were alleged to have broken rules.
Weekly wages of United's playing staff are typically reduced by 25 per cent when not qualifying for the most lucrative UEFA competition. For most players, this is likely to equate to millions.
Seasons of impact
City beat United to fourth place and qualification on goal difference in the 2015/16 Premier League season. United have also been runner-up to their city rivals in 2011/12, 2017/18 and 2020/21, the latter falling outside the nine-season period in question.
The Athletic claim that United are predominantly focusing on seasons in which City's league finish most directly impacted them financially. Other Premier League clubs are also said to be exploring the impact of City on their chances of success in previous seasons.
Legal routes and compensation
Section W of the Premier League's rules provides a route to compensation for clubs, as Burnley used in their £35m case against Everton. Moving up a single place in the Premier League table is worth around £2-3million. Champions League qualification is much more lucrative than Europa League qualification, with clubs earning £16million just for participating in its league phase, more than triple the £4million for being in the Europa League.
United are one of four Premier League clubs said to have reserved the right to seek damages if City is found guilty. Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur were the others who lodged legal notices ahead of a potential statute of limitations deadline in 2024, formally registering possible compensation claims for arbitration.
Commission findings and appeal
Two years on, an independent commission has found City guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules over a nine-season period from 2009/10 to 2017/18. Their findings include that City were significantly in breach of the Premier League's spending limits and accused them of 'sham' deals to inflate their revenue by £900million.
City, however, maintain their innocence and have now appealed to the chair of the judicial panel. They claim that the commission's decision "contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe."
Recruitment impact
The Athletic also claims that those familiar with United's recruitment policy say that chasing City factored into the increased spending. Significant sums went on beating their rivals to players. The club signed Alexis Sanchez to a record contract that impacted future deals for other players, including David de Gea. United ultimately loaned the former Arsenal player to Inter within 18 months before he left on a free.
United also faced competition from City when re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo, whose contract they ultimately terminated by mutual consent six months before it ended. More recently, City beat United to Elliot Anderson this summer.
