Manchester City were found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League rules, a verdict confirmed officially last Tuesday. The independent commission said the club had purposefully inflated and misstated financial revenue by more than £900 million over a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018. An appeals process and a separate sanctions process are expected to follow, and City continue to vehemently protest their innocence.
The ramifications of the findings are wide-ranging. According to ESPN, rivals could have been affected in multiple ways: winning titles, avoiding relegation, qualifying for the Champions League or signing players who instead moved to City. That could translate into potentially tens of millions of pounds in merit payments to clubs that believe they were disadvantaged.
The independent commission did not include compensation for wronged parties within the scope of its judgment. In September 2024, only four clubs instructed lawyers to inform City that they had reserved their right to seek compensation should the club be found guilty: Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester United, according to ESPN.
ESPN reports that most clubs are likely to wait until any sanctions are confirmed before deciding whether to pursue compensation. Arsenal’s decision to reserve its legal rights was, sources told ESPN, significantly influenced by Tim Lewis, described in reporting as a strong supporter of financial controls. The reporting also recalled comments from Arsene Wenger and noted that between 2009 and 2014 several players, including Kolo Touré, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gaël Clichy, Samir Nasri and Bacary Sagna, left Arsenal for City.
Sources have suggested to ESPN that City’s aggressive denials signal a major fight if compensation cases are brought, and reporting says it is debatable how many clubs would be prepared for a prolonged legal battle. All clubs are expected to monitor the sanctions process closely before deciding on next steps.
