Manchester City financial charges verdict expected within weeks, sources claim

Manchester City’s long-running financial charges case could be approaching a resolution, with reports suggesting an independent commission verdict is expected sometime this summer. The club were formally charged in February 2023 with 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations spanning the period from 2009 to 2018, and have denied all charges throughout.

The speculation was fuelled on Tuesday by X account HandofArsenal, described as a reliable source, which posted: “It is my understanding, there is a seriously confident expectation now for a decision on the Man City 115 case to be delivered in the coming weeks (sometime in the summer latest). All Premier League clubs await official communication.”

The 12-week hearing concluded in London in December 2024, meaning the commission has been deliberating for more than six months. A ruling had always been expected to take considerable time, but no specific date has been confirmed by the independent panel.

According to the Premier League, the charges include failing to provide “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position”, as well as an alleged failure to co-operate with the league’s four-year investigation. Some outlets have since reported that the actual number of alleged breaches may be closer to 130, rather than the 115 originally cited.

The allegations first emerged through a series of articles published by German newspaper Der Spiegel in 2018, after which UEFA launched its own investigation the following year.

Outgoing manager Pep Guardiola — who joined City in 2016 and is not alleged to have been aware of any wrongdoing — has consistently backed the club’s leadership. Speaking to BBC Sport last week, he said: “I trust them. I spoke with them and trust how they behave and how they did. What happened, happened.”

Guardiola is expected to depart the Etihad Stadium before any verdict is announced. Should City be found guilty, potential sanctions range from financial penalties and a points deduction to, in the most severe scenario, expulsion from the Premier League.