Several Premier League clubs are pressing for both retrospective penalties and future sanctions against Manchester City regarding their confirmed financial rule violations, sources have told BBC Sport.
An independent commission recently found the club guilty of all charges related to breaches of Premier League financial regulations spanning from the 2009-10 season through to 2017-18. While City has launched an appeal against the verdict, the Solicitors Regulation Authority is also reviewing the findings for potential misconduct.
There appears to be a growing consensus among top-flight executives that if the appeal fails, penalties should address the historical period of infringement while also curbing the club’s influence moving forward. Officials from at least four member clubs believe that a single-season points deduction leading to relegation would be inadequate given the scale of the offenses.
Opinions on the precise nature of the punishment vary. One senior club source argued that City should be stripped of their titles, suggesting that allowing them to retain the eight major honors won during the guilty period would damage the league’s credibility. This source indicated there was no urgency to redistribute the trophies, preferring they be left vacant. However, reports from earlier in the process suggested limited appetite among other clubs for such a measure.
Regarding future sanctions, there are concerns that penalties applied to just one season would act as little more than a temporary setback, given City’s strong likelihood of immediate promotion back to the Premier League if relegated. Consequently, many figures prefer points deductions to be spread across multiple seasons, alongside transfer bans covering several windows, to significantly hinder the club’s ability to quickly regain top-flight status.
One executive described it as “bizarre” if City were permitted to trade during the upcoming January transfer window while sanctions remain under consideration. Some clubs have expressed frustration at feeling uninformed about the timeline and chronology of the appeal and sanctions hearings, though sources noted empathy for the Premier League’s difficult position amid the ongoing legal complexities.
Discussions regarding financial reparations have included a “tariff-based system,” where City’s past league positions would be adjusted via points deductions. Under this model, rival clubs could receive compensation based on the difference between their actual finishing positions and where they would have placed without the deductions.
On the pitch, Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca is scheduled to address his players collectively upon their return from international duty on Thursday. The squad will face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday in their first match since the verdict was announced. Merseyside Police confirmed it has received inquiries regarding the fixture and stated an appropriate policing operation will be in place. Liverpool sources described the situation as “business as usual,” adding that pre-match meetings with authorities are standard procedure for home games.
If City go down, they will just bounce back next year with money to burn. One season isn’t enough of a punishment here.
Why are rival clubs so secretive about the hearing timelines? Transparency matters if they want this process to be credible.
I never thought I’d say this, but a multi-year transfer ban could actually be the only thing to level the playing field.
It is bizarre they might still buy players in January while facing these sanctions. The Premier League needs to act faster.
Points deductions across multiple seasons seem fair, but stripping titles is extreme. Let the appeals run their course before deciding.