A football finance expert has revealed the punishment Manchester City could be hit with if they are found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s financial rules.
The defending Premier League champions had 115 charges brought against them in early 2023, and a hearing into their case concluded last month.
A verdict on whether they are guilty or not is expected imminently, and finance expert Kieran Maguire has now given some insight on City’s situation.
Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet, Maguire told Jamie Carragher, Paul Scholes and the group of assembled supporters: ‘In the case of City, there’s actually three charges. It’s not 115. Has money come in from the owners which they pretend to be from the sponsors? If that is the case, then that is fraud. That is about as serious as it gets.
‘And, if found guilty of those charges, then the book will be thrown at Manchester City and it’s going to be a massive points deduction.
‘You can’t relegate them because the Premier League and the EFL are independent bodies, so the EFL doesn’t have to accept them. Given the Everton and the Forest points deductions, they were both described by the commission of being “minor breaches”. Well, what Manchester City are being accused of is major breaches over a 9-10 year period. So, you would be looking at somewhere between 60 and 100 points if you go through on a charge by charge basis. So, it would relegate them.
The Premier League have been investigating whether Man City – fronted by owner Sheikh Mansour (first left, bottom row) – have breached their financial rules
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire (pictured) expects City to be deducted 60-100 points if found guilty
This huge deduction would relegate City from the Premier League
‘The paying people off-book, it happens in football. I know a number of players and ex-players who are working for the owners’ company and also on a wage at the club. We’ve got history of players’ mothers being paid hundreds of thousands of pounds to be an academy scout in order for the player to have a slightly better deal and so on. Football is quite creative in those rules.
‘And the third charge, which I think City will find difficult to defend, will be non-cooperation with the Premier League’s investigation. Having said that, if my wife looks at my internet history, I’m in trouble! It shouldn’t be done. You shouldn’t be relying on hacked emails, and that’s City’s defence.’
Should City be found guilty, some expect them to immediately submit an appeal which could drag their case into next season and beyond.
But Maguire is not convinced this will be an appropriate option for the club to take.
‘I think there are very narrow grounds for appeal,’ he continued. ‘It’s only if the conduct of the committee itself was unprofessional in some way that one of the parties can potentially make an appeal.
‘If Manchester City are found guilty then the whole board of directors has to resign because they will have been found guilty of misrepresentation, effectively lying to a commission.’
Everton and Nottingham Forest both received points deductions last season for breaking financial rules, and Coty are now waiting to discover their fate following the ‘trial of the century’.
But Maguire does not believe they are the last club under the Premier League’s microscope.
Top-flight teams had to submit their financial accounts by December 31, with the Premier League now looking through the paperwork before deciding whether any clubs have breached their rules.
Maguire revealed another Premier League club is at ‘high risk’ of being charged
He appeared to confirm that neither Liverpool or Manchester United are at risk
Maguire has revealed one club is in danger of being charged, but refused to disclose who it might be.
‘There’s one club in particular, in the Premier League, who is at high risk of a charge from the Premier League of breaching (their rules),’ Maguire said.
When pushed by a fan on the colour of the shirt that team play in, Maguire added: ‘It’s not red!’
This revelation appears to rule out the current top three of Liverpool, Arsenal and Forest, while Manchester United, Brentford, Bournemouth and Southampton also seem to be in the clear.
