A football finance expert has revealed the “most likely” outcome of Manchester City’s FFP case against the Premier League as a verdict could be “days” away.
The prolonged legal battle between Man City and the Premier League has been ongoing since the start of 2023.
It started as Pep Guardiola‘s side were referred to an independent commission by the Premier League, with the club charged with over 100 alleged breaches of FFP rules.
Throughout this process, Man City have remained insistent on their innocence, but if they are found guilty, their potential punishments include a huge fine, points deduction, transfer ban or relegation from the Premier League.
This case has dragged on for far too long, but it is a complicated situation that was made worse by Man City being involved in a separate legal battle against the Premier League relating to APT rules.
The FFP hearing concluded at the end of 2024 and it was initially reported that a verdict could be announced in March, but very little has been said about this situation this year.
However, there has been an update this week, with a report claiming that a Premier League ‘concern’ could mean that a verdict could come ‘within days’.
Now, football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley has revealed the “noises” he has been “hearing” about a potential appeal from Man City.
“It is tricky to tell on the timeframe linked to the appeal as it could keep going on and on,” Plumley told Grosvenor Sport.
“It depends on what the verdict is and then what either side would do next, etc., but both parties have the right to appeal, and we have certainly already heard noises from City in the past that they would look to appeal and tie the PL up in litigation.
“These things are never straightforward, and you are dealing with power and egos too in the middle of this, which cannot be ignored.
“It was always likely to be a lengthy process given the number of charges and the time frame it relates to. Lawyers on both sides need to pore over the details, and then there is the independent commission hearing and the verdict itself.
“There will then be a further delay until we see the decision and any details in the public domain, which is again normal in the course of how these things run. It is a very costly exercise on both sides, though that is for sure.”
Plumley has also revealed which punishments are “most likely” if Man City are found guilty.
“If City were to be found guilty, then all of those things would potentially be on the table as sanctions, and the PL could push for any or a combination of them,” Plumley added.
“It is really difficult to predict what any outcome could be, as there is no precedent.
“We will always be in the realms of speculation until we know, but if I were to speculate, I would suggest that a points deduction and fine would be most likely, with relegation and title stripping being the extreme, but unlikely, scenarios.”