Manchester City’s finance saga could come to a head in the coming months thanks to the Cityzens’ decision to take the Premier League to court over the charges that have been laid against them.
The Cityzens won their fourth-straight league title but were not congratulated by the league management board whose president, Richard Masters, chose to attend Arsenal’s game instead of theirs on the final day.
There were talks of the league looking to take action against City in the coming months after accusing them of FFP breaches from the days of their takeover by the UAE-funded City Football Group until 2016. City decided instead to take the matter to court.
They have been met with unwavering opposition, with 12 Premier League clubs reported to be ready to testify in favour of the Premier League. Discussions have happened in the media and postulations have been put forward on what the 2022/23 treble winners’ fate will be since the start of this week, when news of City’s lawsuit first hit the airwaves.
The popular one is that the Premier League will choose to relegated them to the bottom of the English football league system where they will be required to start again. However, former City financial adviser Stefan Borson believes that this is a big “if”.
“The scale is on a completely different level [to Everton and Nottingham Forest],” Borson said to TALK SPORT. “There can be no question that, if these charges are proven, this will end in at least relegation. There is the suggestion of conspiracy over, effectively, a ten-year period.”
“If proven, this is super serious. Nobody would argue with that. City will say, I promise you, that this is an allegation of the most serious nature.”
“It seems to me to be highly unlikely that the conduct is alleged has taken place over a ten-year period with the sorts of individuals that are involved in the club and in the companies that are involved.”
“It will be a very big call for any court or tribunal to suggest that this number of people have been dishonest, and perjured themselves.”
“That would be a massive call for, effectively, some KCs and maybe a former finance director of a football club, to make against not just Manchester City, but against numerous executives, against third party individuals, and against, of course, potentially senior members of foreign states.”
A two-week arbitration on the case is set to begin next week, with the other 19 Premier League clubs all invited to take part.
