The verdict on Man City‘s 115 charges is still ongoing, with a frustrating new update emerging about when the decision could be made.
Pep Guardiola’s side have had a disappointing season, losing their Premier League title to Liverpool, as well as failing to reach the Champions League knockout rounds.
City have also had their 115 financial charges hanging over them throughout the campaign, with the investigation ongoing – though it has since been reported to be 130 alleged breaches.
Now, it looks like the situation could potentially remain unresolved heading into next season, following an update from The i Paper‘s Mark Douglas.
The report states that expecting a decision soon is “unrealistic,” with the “early spring” initially seen as a realistic time.
Maxime van den Dijssel, a sports and litigation lawyer at Brandsmiths and an expert in arbitration, told the i that arbitrators “need to cover all bases” and “won’t want to leave any room for either side to argue there is procedural unfairness.”
For that reason, “they will take that little bit longer to render a decision,” meaning we “might not have a decision until leading into next season.”
All this means that City will again be able to continue signing players during the summer transfer window, aiding their chances of returning to their best next season.
Guardiola will be hoping to be backed in the market, in order to strengthen an ageing squad, but rival clubs may not be delighted about the situation.
What are Man City’s charges?
In February 2023, Man City were charged by the Premier League for 115 instances of rule breaches following a four-year investigation into alleged offences starting from 2009/10.
The charges allege that Man City cheated, and if we are to simplify it, it allowed them to sign more and better players than they would normally have been able to under the league’s rules.
Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal and Tottenham have all taken the step of formally registering possible compensation claims via arbitration, should City be found guilty.
The Reds, of course, came second in 2013/14 to City, while Tottenham and Arsenal missed out on top four spots.
Man United, meanwhile, finished second on two occasions (2011/12 and 2017/18) as City lifted three titles during the years under investigation.
