Wright demands 'unprecedented' punishment for Man City after Premier League reveals 'sham contracts'

Ian Wright has called for Manchester City to face an “unprecedented punishment” after the Premier League published a detailed statement explaining why an independent commission found the club guilty of 114 of the 115 financial charges brought against them, covering alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018.

The Premier League’s statement outlined four areas of misconduct, including what it described as “sham contracts” with some of City’s commercial partners. City, who maintain their innocence, responded by expressing “disappointment and surprise” at the announcement and confirmed they will pursue all available appeal avenues.

“It’s cheating on an industrial scale. It’s quite surreal seeing it written down like that,” Wright told ITV Sport. “The amount of stick I’ve taken off that. Unprecedented punishment is required here. It’s a massive day for the Premier League. They’ve taken on a whole country, massive.”

Wright also reflected on the competitive implications of the findings, noting that the timing of City’s next fixture — away at Liverpool — carries particular weight. “In their real time, Liverpool were the team chasing them down. Look at what Jurgen Klopp went through to break them — it probably broke him. It’s so sad. It’s probably going to get very litigious.”

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, appearing alongside Wright, echoed the call for sanctions while acknowledging the broader damage to the Premier League’s reputation. “It’s very damaging for the league — the brand is huge all over the world — but for them to be caught cheating, they deserve that punishment,” Keane said. “It’s bittersweet. You deserve to be punished, but it’s not good for the league. What about the players who have been part of the problem? What happens now going forward?”

In their official response, City stated: “The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions. The Club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.”

The Premier League process remains ongoing, with City confirming they will appeal the commission’s findings. The case is widely expected to enter a prolonged legal phase before any sanctions are determined.