Manchester City’s judgment day might be just around the corner, according to football finance expert Stefan Borson.
Borson joined Simon Jordan and Jim White on Wednesday morning, as the footballing community holds its breath in anticipation of the verdict for the Citizens.
The charges involve breaching financial fair play rules over a staggering nine-year span, from 2009 to 2018.
Additionally, they face accusations of failing to cooperate with Premier League investigations into their financial practices.
White posed a crucial question to Borson about the likelihood of receiving a verdict in the coming weeks.
He said: “It would make a lot of sense, wouldn’t it? In court, you’d say that’s completely irrelevant because the judges don’t care about whether it’s convenient commercially for the parties.
“But remember, this is a commercial arbitration of sorts, and therefore they may well be inclined to fit within the two parties’ preferences. You would think their preferences would be this week or next week, during the international break. That would make sense.
“There are a few indicators that it’s not imminent. Our friend Lord Pannick was not busily reading a draft decision that had been presented to him last night; he was in the House of Lords looking very pleased with himself, talking about expensive lawyers in the debates about the independent football regulator.
“So he was not in Chambers reading any decision that has been provided to him in advance of release. As you say, it would make sense for it to be in the next few days, but it’s equally not certain.”
“I hope you don’t mind me quoting what you just said during the commercial break, Stefan,” White interjected.
“You said, whatever happens when it drops, there’s going to be chaos. What do you mean?”
Borson added: “It’s very likely to be an extensive document, possibly hundreds of pages long, with an executive summary right at the front.
City’s charges involve breaching financial fair play rules over a nine-year period[/caption]
“There are going to be a lot of nuances, a lot of revelations. If it’s everything that we’ve expected about the number of charges that have been presented, it’s possible that a lot of that stuff dropped off.
“Even if the outcome is simple, even in the best-case scenario for Man City, where most of it is dismissed, let’s say only cooperation is found against them, there will still be things in there that people will want to spin a certain way, their enemies around the table, shall we say. They will still want to make certain suggestions about why the Premier League case didn’t succeed.
“On the other side, of course, if the worst comes to the worst for City, then there’s going to be some unbelievable stuff in there. It will likely be forced to say that a lot of people have been very naughty and have lied significantly and on multiple occasions to multiple parties over many years.
“Either way, it’s going to explode upon release, and how are people going to process a document like this? In terms of a decision and judgment, this might be one of the most scrutinized judgments in the history of the world. Because people don’t usually read decisions outside of legal analysis, but most of the world is interested in football, so it’s going to be interesting to take a look at.
White further inquired about Sky Sports reportedly advising their pundits to refrain from hasty judgments and to focus on the facts when the decision arrives.
“The problem that Sky has, of course, is if it goes against City, then the big question is not just for the Premier League but also for Sky: what do we make of the last decade of Premier League football?” Borson explained.
Manchester City’s 115 charges
- Failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information (2009-2018) – 54
- Failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation (2009-2018) – 14
- Failure to comply with UEFA’s regulations, including Financial Fair Play Regulations – 5
- Breaching Premier League Profitability and Sustainability regulations (2015-2018) – 7
- Failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations (2018-2023) – 35
“That will be a big issue for Sky, and that’s why I think they will be even more concerned about the way this is presented compared to some other outlets. They have a big stake in this game; that’s why this is a very dangerous case for the Premier League and its partners. If it goes against City, then clearly there are big question marks over all of the ownership since 2009.”
When the Premier League charged City in 2023, the press release highlighted alleged breaches totaling 115, though it’s believed the actual figure has risen to 130.
During this time, Man City—a club that has firmly denied all allegations—has celebrated three Premier League titles.
The Premier League’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations exist to ensure clubs spend only what they earn.
However, it’s possible to navigate around these rules, potentially by inflating reported earnings or concealing expenses.
Within the Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and FFP context, artificially boosting revenue could, in theory, permit a club to invest more in transfers and wages.
According to the Premier League, Man City is accused of violating these rules across nine seasons by allegedly failing to provide accurate financial information.
Among the charges against the club is the claim that they did not fully disclose the financial compensation awarded to one of their managers over a four-year period.
While Stefan Borson suggests a decision could be imminent, the footballing world will have to remain patient for the final verdict on Manchester City.
