Manchester City are being “left in the dark” when it comes to a final ruling in their long-running Financial Fair Play (FFP) saga. With at least 115 charges hanging over the Premier League heavyweights, a verdict was “definitely expected by now”. No decision has been revealed, though, and that is keeping everybody guessing on what could be an explosive outcome.
Man City FFP case: Timeline as saga drags onCity were made aware of the charges being brought against them in February 2023, with an investigation being carried out into dealings at the Etihad Stadium between 2009 and 2018, An independent commission heard the case in September 2024, with that process running through to December. The panel is considering what happens next, with the footballing world being left on tenterhooks.
Stefan Borson, a former financial adviser to City, has told of the protracted saga – which appears to have no end in sight: “It looks to me as if they really have very little control of the process from the panel. They didn’t put in place the sorts of deadlines that maybe they should have done.
“That’s left them very much in the dark as to when the decision is coming, and in that scenario, you have just got to carry on the business because what can you do? You can’t just sit around pausing everything. You have to make decisions, make progress and go about your business, so that’s what they’re doing.”
AdvertisementGettyVerdict delay: Why has no ruling been delivered?
Borson added on the challenges now being faced when it comes to delivering a verdict in the middle of a season, with City expected to contest any sanctions that they disagree with – dragging a distracting episode on even further: “I do think it’s going to be very complicated timing wise to be putting the decision out during the season.
“Also, if you look at it from a timing perspective, you start to put it out in December, we all know that the world slows down mid-December. People go into Christmas mode. And again, this does not feel like something that can be thrown into that mix.
“I mean, ordinarily you would definitely have expected it to be out by now. You definitely would have expected it to be before the end of the year. If it doesn’t come in this international break, then honestly, I don’t know. I don’t think there’s any clear understanding as to why it would not be out by now.”
Explosive outcome: Another storm is expected
Premier League and European outfits are eager to know where they and City stand, so that long-term plans can be drawn up. Experts concede that the final outcome is likely to whip up another storm one way or another.
An insider has previously told : “Everyone just wants a verdict now and some certainty over what comes next. It’s gone very quiet and because it’s been going on for so long it’s almost been forgotten about but all hell could break loose when it lands.”
GettyPossible sanctions: What could happen to Man City?
Various potential punishments for City have been speculated on over the course of the last two-and-a-half years. They range from points deductions and fines to transfer embargoes and expulsion from the top-flight of English football.
City have maintained their innocence throughout, with the Blues adamant that they have done nothing wrong. It has been a case of business as usual at the Etihad across several transfer windows and trophy bids.
Pep Guardiola admitted back in the spring that he considered a verdict in the FFP case to be imminent, but those claims proved to be unfounded. A matter of months later and City are still waiting to be made aware of their fate.
The most severe penalties are expected to be avoided, with there little chance of City being dumped into the EFL, but they could be stung with sanctions that make sustaining a title challenge in 2025-26 difficult – as they sit second in the Premier League table at present – or limit their ability to spend big again in upcoming recruitment markets.