The Premier League has accused Manchester City of multiple financial rule violations following a four-year investigation. The club is accused of not cooperating with the investigation from 2018-19 through the current campaign.
The eight-time Premier League champions have been charged with over 100 counts, which could result in a points deduction or expulsion from the competition. Financial information concerning revenue, details of player and manager remuneration, as well as UEFA regulations are included in the charges against them.
In addition to the two-year Champions League ban issued by UEFA, ManCity is the subject of a three-pronged inquiry by the Premier League. The League started investigating City’s hiring and accounting procedures about a year ago in response to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play investigation, which led to City receiving a two-year suspension and a $26.7 million punishment.
BREAKING NEWS: The Premier League has accused Manchester City of allegedly breaching its financial rules following an investigation.#ManCity #MCFC #bbcfootball
— BBC Sport Manchester (@BBCRMsport) February 6, 2023
The first part of the investigation is expected to look into whether City violated the Premier League’s Short Term Cost Control measures between 2013 and 2016, a regulation that has since been repealed. It prohibited clubs from increasing their wage bill by more than 7% per season unless they could demonstrate that the wage increases were the result of increased commercial revenue.
Premier League investigators find evidence to support UEFA’s conclusion that City overstated their sponsorship income during this time period, it will almost certainly be considered a violation and will result in disciplinary action.
What rule did Manchester City break?
Despite recent problems with their financial records, Manchester City has not been in the news for long.
- From 2009/10 to 2017/18, ManCity failed to provide accurate revenue information.
- UEFA fined City $52.7 million for violating FFP rules, of which $35.2 million was suspended, and their squad size for the 2014-15 Champions League season was reduced.
- A $10.6 million shortfall in 2013 caused by Roberto Mancini’s sacking was covered up by manipulating contracts to swerve UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations in 2019.
- It was found that City had ‘seriously misled UEFA and broken FFP rules’ in February 2020 and was banned from the Champions League for two seasons.
BREAKING: Man City charged by Premier Leaue with numerous breaches of financial rules following a four-year investigation.
This is unprecedented: pic.twitter.com/ZGzdX210qP— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) February 6, 2023
How ManCity has been able to spend so much money on players and wages without breaching any laws may have baffled supporters of rival clubs. Financial Fair Play regulations are meant to stop clubs from acting in that way. It turns out, City has been violating these laws and has received heavy punishment from UEFA as a result.