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

Manchester City’s statement seems to show that the club are confident no rule breaking has been done by them.

They welcomed the review of an independent comission and believe the evidence they have already provided to the Premier League is enough to absolve them of any wrongdoing.

We’ll just have to see how this all plays out.

Manchester City have released a statement is response to the Premier League’s accusations over financial breaches on the club website.

It reads: “Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with.

“The Club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.

“As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”

Dan Roan of the BBC reports that barrister Murray Rosen KC will chair the independent commission to hear the case of alleged financial rules breaches by Manchester City and that he will appoint other members of the panel.

The Premier League has charged Manchester City with more than 100 breaches of its rules following a four-year investigation and the independent comission will decide if these charges should be upheld.

Manchester City’s finances also came under investigation a couple of years ago from Uefa who found that City had breached their own financial rules an issued them with a two-year ban for European football.

In 2020, City overturned the Champions League ban for a serious breach of Uefa’s financial rules at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

Cas found that, while the club had failed to comply with Uefa’s investigations, many of the alleged breaches were either “not established” or “time-barred”.

The Premier League does not time-bar breaches so there is no restriction on the length of time since alleged offences have taken place.

This means that Manchester City would have a more difficult time fighting these accusations should the independent commission find that breaches of the financial rules have taken place.

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.

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.”

Jamie Carragher has reacted to the news of Man City potentially breaking the Premier League’s financial rules.

He cheekily wrote on Twitter: “This can’t be right, Man City bring in more commercial revenue than Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Man Utd & Liverpool.”

The Premier League’s charges against Manchester City cover a period of over 10 years. They were investigating the club from 2009 onwards yet only brought the charges forward now almost 14 years later.

This week there is a government white paper passing through the House of Commons which is being described 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.

That will likely be known on Wednesday 8th February, which is when the white paper is expected to be published and it is expected that the document will call for the much-debated football regulator, albeit with its powers to be determined, and announce its intention to properly recognise the community role of clubs and ensure there cannot be future collapses like Bury.

Is the Premier League trying to get ahead of a crisis it sees coming further down the line?