07 February 2023 , 09:42
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Manchester City 's Premier League rivals want to see the champions relegated if found guilty of financial fair play breaches, according to fresh reports.
City have been accused of more than 100 separate breaches with the alleged offences having taken place between 2009 and 2018. The move follows a four-year investigation, and the findings are now set to be referred to an independent commission, per a Premier League statement.
The club have issued a statement of their own, saying they are "surprised" by the findings and "welcome" the next step. However, other teams in England's top flight are reportedly keen to see the title contenders handed a harsh punishment if the charges are upheld.
“If these charges are proven there must be proper punishment - and the only fitting one is for them to be relegated," an unnamed club chief told The Sun. “We’re talking about a decade of alleged abuses and want the Premier League to do the right thing.”
The same publication reports that Premier League clubs are keen for the title holders to be punished before the end of the current season. City sit second in the table after 21 games, just five points behind leaders Arsenal.
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A number of punishments have been mooted, ranging from fines to points deductions and even relegation. There have also been suggestions that - if an extreme punishment is chosen - league titles won in the period in question could be taken away from the eight-time English champions.
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The period in question includes the year in which City won their first Premier League title under Roberto Mancini (AFP/Getty Images)“In accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today referred a number of alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules by Manchester City Football Club to a Commission,” a statement from the Premier League read. The 100+ breaches include some alleged repeat offences in more than one of the seasons in question.
"Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with," a statement from City read.
"The Club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent Commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position. As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all."
City currently sit second in the Premier League after losing on Sunday (Getty Images)The latest charges come several years after UEFA banned City from its competitions for alleged financial fair play breaches, only for the punishment to be overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Yves Leterme, the former chief investigator for UEFA, has argued the Premier League has a stronger case due to City's inability to appeal to CAS in this instance.
"That [the inability to appeal] would make this case stronger. And then there is another element: the scope of the complaint is now broader than that at UEFA. Both in time and in substance," Leterme told Sporza.
"Especially because the Premier League does not have to adhere to the same strict limitation periods as we do. We encountered a period of 5 years, which meant that we could not use important elements."