Premier League investor calls for £1bn payout from Man City after guilty verdict

An investor in the Premier League has called for Manchester City to pay £1 billion in compensation to rival clubs after an Independent Commission found the club guilty of breaking financial rules on 114 of 115 charges spanning the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons.

The proposal, reported by The Athletic, envisions a three-part punishment covering financial penalties, sporting sanctions, and consequences for personnel within City’s boardroom. The investor suggested a formula by which clubs that suffered the most direct competitive damage would receive a greater share of any payout.

“Let’s say they should put a billion pounds into a pot,” the investor told The Athletic. “Then the Premier League would need to come up with a formula so that the teams who endured the most direct damage receive a greater proportion of the money, which would possibly make those teams whole, or at least be a number they could live with and move on. That way, the Premier League helps to prevent a waterfall of club-on-club lawsuits.”

Manchester City have already confirmed they will appeal the verdict, which found that more than £830 million of owner funding was used to inflate revenues through what the commission described as ‘sham’ agreements. The full range of sanctions available to the Premier League includes fines, points deductions, and expulsion from the competition.

Four clubs — including Liverpool — have reserved the right to pursue separate legal challenges against City, underscoring the scale of potential fallout from the ruling.

City manager Enzo Maresca is due to face the media for the first time since the verdict was delivered, as the club prepare to travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.