A football fan has proposed an NFL-style draft where each of the other 19 Premier League teams selects one Manchester City player to sign free of charge, following the club's guilty verdict on financial rule breaches.
The eight-time Premier League champions were found guilty of breaches relating to the 2009-18 period, though they were cleared of one charge concerning non-cooperation with the investigation. City continue to protest their innocence, saying they are "disappointed and surprised" by the findings.
Potential punishments and fan reaction
While potential punishments range from points deductions and transfer bans to instant relegations, one fan has focused on the squad. They called for "An NFL style draft where 1 by 1, each of the other 19 Premier League teams get to select one of their players to sign free of charge."
In true NFL style, the teams at the bottom get first pick and those at the top have to wait their turn, in the interests of levelling the playing field. Using players' Transfermarkt value as a rough guide (keeping it to the top 19 by value), here is how the draft could pan out.
The simulated draft picks
Tottenham Hotspur - Erling Haaland: Spurs' lack of a goalscoring No.9 has been apparent this season so a move for Haaland is a no-brainer.
Fulham - Elliot Anderson: The addition of a player who can break things up in midfield and start transitions should see to Fulham's early-season issues, though Anderson may not enjoy leaving one relegation battle for another.
Coventry City - Enzo Fernandez: This would make sense for Coventry's needs, with Frank Lampard potentially capitalising on the City chaos.
Bournemouth - Antoine Semenyo: There's an emotional aspect to bringing Semenyo home just months after his move north, but also a 'he's very good' aspect.
Aston Villa - Josko Gvardiol: Gvardiol would cover both left-back and centre-back, an upgrade on the replacements signed after the departure of Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa, and is somehow still only 24.
Crystal Palace - Marc Guehi: Palace could still do with some defensive leadership, and Guehi could return to Selhurst Park so soon after leaving.
Sunderland - Rayan Cherki: A new No.9 might be a bigger priority after Brian Brobbey's injury, but a creator of Cherki's brilliance would make it near-impossible for their current crop to miss.
Nottingham Forest - Ayyoub Bouaddi: Oliver Glasner built his Crystal Palace team on the midfield smarts of Adam Wharton, and Bouaddi could be similar.
Manchester United - Phil Foden: Is Foden the best pick? Maybe not. Is it the funniest? Absolutely.
Ipswich Town - Gianluigi Donnarumma: Gary O'Neil dropped Kjell Scherpen after he conceded four in 10 games, so another change between the sticks sounds reasonable.
Chelsea - Ruben Dias: A centre-back version of the quasi-teaching assistants installed by Xabi Alonso ought to do the trick for a squad of rowdy schoolboys.
Newcastle United - Jeremy Doku: Newcastle lost Anthony Gordon over the summer, and Doku has more experience than Bazoumana Toure and would be a plug-and-play wing option.
Hull City - Abdukodir Khusanov: Hull have 18 different nationalities represented, so adding a 19th while integrating someone who could add another dimension to their three-at-the-back system makes sense.
Everton - Iliman Ndiaye: Sending players back to their old clubs isn't a cop-out; they were good at those clubs, that's why they're backed to be good there again.
Liverpool - Nico O'Reilly: An England squad with only one Liverpool player feels wrong, so get him to Anfield.
Leeds United - Rayan Ait-Nouri: An attacking outlet in a different area of the pitch should help support Leeds' strengths and feed Dominic Calvert-Lewin for more inside-the-box goals.
Brentford - Vitor Reis: Brentford have a knack for turning young prodigies into top talents, and Reis feels like the type of player who would suit the Bees' set-up.
Brighton & Hove Albion - Matheus Nunes: Brighton already have midfielder-turned-full-back-turned-midfielder-again Pascal Gross, but people like them, so let's add some more.
Arsenal - Rico Lewis: Arsenal won the league last season, and Lewis is used to stepping in from the sidelines after limited game time. Also, there was only one player left on the list so you get what you're given.
