Man City financial investigation - LIVE: Premier League charge club and potential points deduction latest

It was around the same time as a generically pictured statement appeared on the Premier League website that legal papers were served to Manchester City executives. There was initial shock, which soon rippled around English football, as news spread. It was so abrupt that City chief executive Ferran Soriano was still on the phone to the Premier League as the statement went out. There hadn’t even been an email as regards notification – and this for a story that could yet lead to relegation or more.

The statement was nevertheless quickly shared with far more excitable exclamations. Senior figures in football were describing it as “the biggest scandal the Premier League has faced”, “the nuclear button” and “going to war with their serial champions”. It certainly isn’t being seen as a case that will be just eased out and go nowhere. The Premier League’s published list of more than 100 alleged breaches should be sufficient indication of that, especially when they could have just fined City for non-cooperation.

Executives around the game were genuinely stunned at the extent of it. It is the product of four years of investigation, which the Premier League had taken a lot of criticism for – not least from Lord Justice Males who said in a July 2021 High Court ruling over whether arbitration could be kept secret that it was “a matter of legitimate public concern”.

This was why it took so long.

The news was found on the official website, beneath a video of the former Everton midfielder Leon Osman talking about the difference Sean Dyche has made at Goodison Park, above the story about the fantasy league points the Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson accrued this weekend. “Premier League statement” is a dry headline, offering little clue what it leads to.

A more newsworthy headline might have included mention of the reigning champions being charged with more than 100 breaches of financial regulations over a nine-year period, the allegation Manchester City had not been honest in disclosing how much they paid former manager Roberto Mancini, the architect of their dramatic and historic 2012 title win, or some unnamed players. It amounted to the longest charge sheet in the Premier League’s history. The consequences, if found guilty, could involve points deductions or even expulsion from the division.

It transpires City’s problems extend beyond Sunday’s 1-0 defeat against Tottenham or the suspicion their current manager, Pep Guardiola, picked the wrong team then. City have suspicions about the timing of their charges, believing the Premier League was trying to prove its toughness to show that, as the government prepares to publish a white paper, football does not need an independent regulator and that the world’s richest league can keep their own house in order.

Manchester City insist they are “surprised” at being charged by the Premier League with more than 100 alleged breaches of financial regulations.

The reigning champions could potentially be hit with a points deduction or even expulsion from the league if found guilty following a four-year investigation.

The unprecedented series of allegations from Premier League concerns a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018, with the club insisting there is “irrefutable evidence” to prove their innocence.

Manchester City could face expulsion from the Premier League or a points deduction if the club are found to have committed breaches of financial rules.

After a four-year investigation, the Premier League has referred a number of alleged breaches to an independent Commission.

It is alleged that Manchester City broke rules relating to the provision of “accurate financial information” across nine Premier League seasons from 2009 to 2018, and that the club had failed to cooperate with the league’s investigation since the start of the 2018-19 campaign, among wide-ranging alleged breaches.

A statement from the league alleged that the club had failed to reflect a “true and fair view” of their financial position, “in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs”.

Expulsion from the Premier League is on the table for Manchester City after being accused of breaching more than 100 financial rules.

The Premier League has concluded a four-year investigation and has now referred a number of the alleged breaches to an independent Commission.

Having successfully overturned a two-year ban from Uefa in July 2020, City are now tasked with another battle to save their reputation.

The champions are alleged to have broken rules relating to the provision of “accurate financial information” across nine Premier League seasons from 2009 to 2018, and that the club had failed to cooperate with the league’s investigation since the start of the 2018/19 campaign, among wide-ranging alleged breaches.

Manchester City have been charged by the Premier League with over 100 breaches of their financial rules.

It follows a four-year investigation into the finances of the current Premier League champions.

In an unprecedented series of allegations, the Premier League said the breaches referred to a requirement to provide “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position” in particular its “revenue”, “sponsorship revenue” and “operating costs”.

Manchester City announced their “surprise” at the Premier League’s statement and denied the charges. The club insisted there is “irrefutable evidence” to prove their innocence.

In the discussions to inform next week’s white paper on football, many stakeholders were attempting to get the government to understand this is much more than a “once a generation” moment. They described it as possibly the only opportunity to properly assess the English game and where it’s going, since nothing like this has ever been done before. It is quite a thought, that illustrates the “enormity” of what this government are taking on. In 160 years of codified English football, there has never been anything like an attempt at a holistic assessment of the sport and what it should look like.

Even events since the Super League, like Chelsea’s spending, illustrate it is now more important than ever. There are reservations within the game over whether Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Michelle Donelan gets this, as eyebrows were raised over recent statements and questions.

“This is a really important opportunity for football,” says Niall Couper of Fair Game, “but the most important thing is it has to have teeth.”

The independent commission tasked with figuring out whether Manchester City broke any Premier League financial rules will undergo their proceedings in a confidential and private manner.

A Premier League statement announcing the referrals said: “The proceedings before the commission will, in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private. Under Premier League Rule W.82.2, the commission’s final award will be published on the Premier League’s website.

“This confirmation is made in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1. The Premier League will be making no further comment in respect of this matter until further notice.”

The BBC’s Simon Stone says Manchester City are confident about their position in this case though the club are unhappy that the Premier League gave them no warning that an announcement was being made.

He says: “Man City were not given advance warning of the Premier League statement.

“They were called at the same time as the statement went out. They believe some journalists were given advance warning of the statement, which evidently, they are not impressed about.

“They also note the timing of the statement given the White Paper on football governance is scheduled to be published soon. It is felt that bringing this case it likely to be used by the Premier League as evidence of them being able to deal with governance issues itself.

“City are confident in their position and that includes the charges that were time-barred in their Uefa case. The club are understood to have provided the relevant evidence around those charges to the Premier League some time ago.”

1. In respect of each of Seasons 2009/10 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those seasons that required provision by a member club to the Premier League, in the utmost good faith, of accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position, in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs, namely:

(a) for Season 2009/10, Premier League Rules B.13, C.71, C.72, C.75 (amended to C.79 from 10 September 2009 for the remainder of Season 2009/10) and C.80;

(b) for Season 2010/11, Premier League Rules B.13, C.78, C.79, C.86 and C.87;

(c) for Season 2011/12, Premier League Rules B.13, E.3, 4, E.11 and E.12;

(d) for Season 2012/13, Premier League Rules 16, E.3, E.4, E.11 and E.12;

(e) for Season 2013/14, Premier League Rules 15, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.49;

(f) for Season 2014/15, Premier League Rules 16, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.50;

(g) for Season 2015/16, Premier League Rules 16, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.50;

(h) for Season 2016/17, Premier League Rules16, E.3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.51;

(i) for Season 2017/18, Premier League Rules B.16, 3, E.4, E.11, E.12 and E.51.

2. In respect of:

(a) each of Seasons 2009/10 to 2012/13 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to include full details of manager remuneration in its relevant contracts with its manager, namely:

(1) for Seasons 2009/10 to 2011/12 inclusive, Premier League Rules Q.7 and Q.8; and

(2) for Season 2012/13, Premier League Rules P.7 and P.8;

(b) each of Seasons 2010/11 to 2015/16 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to include full details of player remuneration in its relevant contracts with its players, namely:

(1) for Seasons 2010/11 and 2011/12, Premier League Rules K.12 and K.20;

(2) for Season 2012/13, Premier League Rules T.12 and T.20;

(3) for Seasons 2013/14 and 2014/15, Premier League Rules T.12 and T.19; and

(4) for Season 2015/16, Premier League Rules T.13 and T.20.

3. In respect of each of Seasons 2013/14 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to comply with UEFA’s regulations, including UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations, namely:

(a) for Season 2013/14, Premier League Rule B.14.6

(b) for Seasons 2014/15 to 2017/18 inclusive, Premier League Rule B.15.6.

4. In respect of each of the Seasons 2015/16 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons on Profitability and Sustainability, namely:

(a) for Season 2015/16, Premier League Rules E.52 to E.60; and

(b) for Seasons 2016/17 and 2017/18, Premier League Rules E.53 to E.60.

5. In respect of the period from December 2018 to date, the Premier League Rules applicable in the relevant Seasons requiring a member club to cooperate with, and assist, the Premier League in its investigations, including by providing documents and information to the Premier League in the utmost good faith, namely:

(a) for Season 2018/19, Premier League Rules B.16, B.19, W.1, W.2, W.12 and W.13;

(b) for Season 2019/20, Premier League Rules B.16, B.19, W.1, W.2, W.12 and W.13;

(c) for Season 2020/21, Premier League Rules B.16, B.19, W.1, W.2, W.12 and W.13;

(d) for Season 2021/22, Premier League Rules B.15, B.18, W.1, W.2, W.15 and W.16; and

(e) for Season 2022/23, Premier League Rules B.15, B.18, W.1, W.2, W.15 and W.16.