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Latest Arsenal news with a Manchester City FFP update provided that hints it will be a while before any potential punishment is dished out
A general view outside the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on October 08, 2023 in London, England.
Arsenal look set to face a significant wait before Manchester City face any potential punishments for FFP breaches (Image: (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))
Arsenal could be facing a lengthy wait before learning if Manchester City will be charged for breaching FFP rules, according to football finance expert Nick Harris. Following the decision to dock 10 points from Everton after they failed the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), questions have began being asked about the punishment Man City may face having been charged with 115 breaches.
On Friday, it was confirmed by the Premier League that Everton would be punished for going £19.5million over the limit placed on what club’s can lose in funds over a three-year period. Earlier this year it was confirmed that Everton’s case would be referred to an independent commission with a charge then arriving just over six months later.
Given the short amount of time it took for the investigation to reach a conclusion and a verdict given, many have questioned why Manchester City, who were charged in are yet to face any repercussions with Harris, a Sporting Intelligence journalist, now explaining on the Rest is Football podcast why it is taking so long.
“That is one of the reasons it is taking so much time,” he replied when asked if their being 115 charges affected the investigation. “There is just so much work that needed to be done to get to the point of charging them. It was more than four years after the Premier League opened their investigation into Manchester City that it was formally announced as being open.
“Now it is more than five years since the Premier League began, so they’ve had more than five years to put together a case because it is massive and complex. The other reason it has taken so long is because Man City have done what they can to stifle the process. In 2021 we were investigating what was happening with this case and eventually as a journalist I was able to get access to the high court and be able to report the process was ongoing when neither the Premier League nor Manchester City wanted it to be reported.
“What that told us was that Man City were using every legal tool they could to draw this out as long as possible and even since they were charged in February, they for example have challenged the legitimacy of the Premier League even to act against them which in itself is taking months to even get to the point where a commission will sit down and look at the evidence.
READ MORE: Man City stripped of Premier League title? FFP punishments analysed as Arsenal await verdict
READ MORE: Details of Man City FFP investigation panel as Arsenal await points deduction decision
“So, it’s a hugely complex case and Man City of course say they are completely innocent and they have a huge amount of irrefutable evidence that will prove that. But we haven’t seen that yet and I think it would be good for everybody if that was a little bit more transparency around those issues.
“In the Man City case, if they are found guilty it will open 115 cans of worms and how on earth do you go about trying to write the wrongdoings if that’s the case. I keep saying if because at this point nobody has a clear idea of when Man City might even get to a commission stage, let alone a finishing point, it could be years.”
Based on Harris’ comments, Arsenal could be in for the long haul before any punishment is dished out, although that may not even occur with Man City possibly being proven innocent for the FFP charges.
Man City FFP investigation timeline hint dropped as Arsenal wait on outcome after Everton call
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Latest Arsenal news with a Manchester City FFP update provided that hints it will be a while before any potential punishment is dished out
A general view outside the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on October 08, 2023 in London, England.
Arsenal look set to face a significant wait before Manchester City face any potential punishments for FFP breaches (Image: (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))
Arsenal could be facing a lengthy wait before learning if Manchester City will be charged for breaching FFP rules, according to football finance expert Nick Harris. Following the decision to dock 10 points from Everton after they failed the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), questions have began being asked about the punishment Man City may face having been charged with 115 breaches.
On Friday, it was confirmed by the Premier League that Everton would be punished for going £19.5million over the limit placed on what club’s can lose in funds over a three-year period. Earlier this year it was confirmed that Everton’s case would be referred to an independent commission with a charge then arriving just over six months later.
Given the short amount of time it took for the investigation to reach a conclusion and a verdict given, many have questioned why Manchester City, who were charged in are yet to face any repercussions with Harris, a Sporting Intelligence journalist, now explaining on the Rest is Football podcast why it is taking so long.
“That is one of the reasons it is taking so much time,” he replied when asked if their being 115 charges affected the investigation. “There is just so much work that needed to be done to get to the point of charging them. It was more than four years after the Premier League opened their investigation into Manchester City that it was formally announced as being open.
“Now it is more than five years since the Premier League began, so they’ve had more than five years to put together a case because it is massive and complex. The other reason it has taken so long is because Man City have done what they can to stifle the process. In 2021 we were investigating what was happening with this case and eventually as a journalist I was able to get access to the high court and be able to report the process was ongoing when neither the Premier League nor Manchester City wanted it to be reported.
“What that told us was that Man City were using every legal tool they could to draw this out as long as possible and even since they were charged in February, they for example have challenged the legitimacy of the Premier League even to act against them which in itself is taking months to even get to the point where a commission will sit down and look at the evidence.
READ MORE: Man City stripped of Premier League title? FFP punishments analysed as Arsenal await verdict
READ MORE: Details of Man City FFP investigation panel as Arsenal await points deduction decision
“So, it’s a hugely complex case and Man City of course say they are completely innocent and they have a huge amount of irrefutable evidence that will prove that. But we haven’t seen that yet and I think it would be good for everybody if that was a little bit more transparency around those issues.
“In the Man City case, if they are found guilty it will open 115 cans of worms and how on earth do you go about trying to write the wrongdoings if that’s the case. I keep saying if because at this point nobody has a clear idea of when Man City might even get to a commission stage, let alone a finishing point, it could be years.”
Based on Harris’ comments, Arsenal could be in for the long haul before any punishment is dished out, although that may not even occur with Man City possibly being proven innocent for the FFP charges.
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