Premier League CEO defends Man City case delay as verdict remains years away

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has defended the prolonged timeline of the independent commission investigating Manchester City’s alleged 115 breaches of financial regulations, saying the panel “need time and space to do their work” as the new season begins.

Speaking on Wednesday, Masters admitted the process was “taking longer than expected” but maintained the verdict rests entirely with the independent commission. It is now more than three and a half years since City were first charged, and over 18 months since the disciplinary hearing concluded. The club has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

When pressed on whether the case risked fading into the background, Masters offered little reassurance on timing. “There’s only one available option, which is to allow the process to reach its natural conclusion,” he said. “I can’t talk about the substance of the case, I can’t talk about the timing of the case. Our rules are very clear about that.”

Masters also pushed back against suggestions that rival clubs are actively lobbying for a swift resolution. “I obviously speak to clubs all the time. It’s not necessarily a topic of conversation that is top of the list,” he said, noting that the Premier League’s focus had shifted to the imminent start of the new campaign.

The comments come after Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick publicly called for clarity earlier this week, telling the BBC that “everyone” around the Premier League was awaiting an update. “It has gone on for a while,” Garlick said. “Everybody, the league and the teams” want to know the outcome.

Masters acknowledged the widespread frustration but said his hands were tied. “I just have to accept the fact that people are frustrated and want to know, and I can’t add anything further,” he said. On whether the Premier League could intervene to accelerate proceedings, he reiterated that the league’s role was to present evidence to the independent commission and allow the process to establish the truth — nothing more.

The case, described by Masters as “hugely complex”, now hangs over the start of another Premier League season with no indication of when a verdict might arrive.