A football finance expert has commented on a “perfectly plausible” scenario regarding Manchester City’s FFP case against the Premier League.
Over two years ago, Man City were referred to an independent commission after being accused of breaching over 100 of the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play regulations.
This seemingly never-ending case is finally nearing a conclusion as it’s been reported that the verdict should be announced this month.
The closing arguments of this hearing were heard at the end of 2024 and the eventual verdict will be subject to an appeal from either side.
The Premier League passed this case onto an independent commission after conducting a four-year probe into Man City’s conduct between 2009 and 2018.
If Pep Guardiola‘s side are found guilty, they could be given a huge fine, transfer ban, points deduction or expulsion from the Premier League, but they have insisted on their innocence.
Former City advisor Stefan Borson has lamented the handling of this situation as “there should have been a published timetable”.
“I think this could have been agreed with all the parties. I have said it right from the start there should have been a published timetable, at least with estimates as to when we can expect the hearing itself, the decision to come out, the next phase, and the explanation of what the process is,” Borson told Football Insider.
“At the moment, what you’ve got is a situation where it might happen at any point. Something that’s very significant not just to the future of football but to the future of Manchester City employees because you would think that, if a lot of this stuff goes against City, then there would have to be some adjustments to City’s cost base, which as we know from what’s happened at United can involve real people and real jobs.
“I don’t think it’s been well handled in that respect and I don’t think that there was a particular problem in giving a bit more guidance as to when we could expect the decision to come out.”
In his ‘update’ for Football Insider, Borson also claims it’s “perfectly plausible” that the verdict “doesn’t come out until the summer or even later” as details remain a “very well-kept secret”.
“We sit here today thinking this week would have been a possible time to release it. Next week could be a possible time to release it,” Borson added.
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“But equally, it is perfectly plausible that this doesn’t come out until the summer or even later, so we really don’t know.
“I can tell you from lots of conversations I’ve had over the last week, nobody knows.
“This is a very well-kept secret, and nobody has got any indication of definitively when it’s coming. Nobody believes that it’s close because of things they’ve heard.
“That’s not to say it won’t come today. It may come today, but if it is coming today, it’s not because two or three people in the media or close to the club have heard it’s really close. It will just drop.
“It doesn’t feel like the best way of doing things from the Premier League and City’s perspective, but that’s the process we have.
“That’s what we thought we were going to get. That’s where we are.”
