Journalist David Ornstein has shared an update on Manchester City’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) case, with a verdict expected in the coming months.
In early 2023, City faced allegations of breaching over 100 Premier League FFP regulations following a four-year investigation into their financial activities between 2009 and 2018. The charges were referred to an independent commission, while the club has consistently maintained its innocence.
If found guilty, City could face significant consequences, including a hefty fine, a transfer ban, a points deduction, or even relegation to a lower division.
Although Pep Guardiola’s side recently won their legal challenge against the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, it remains uncertain whether they will achieve a similar outcome in their FFP case.
The proceedings concluded at the end of 2024, and according to Ornstein, a final ruling is expected within the next couple of months. However, the decision will be subject to potential appeals from either party.
“It’s just over two years ago since those charges and the feeling I get from speaking to people at and around the club is that we could be looking at a springtime verdict,” Ornstein told NBC Sports.
“So, maybe a month or two away and that feels pretty soon. Of course this is still subject to potential appeals in that process too, but the verdict would feel like a seismic moment whatever the outcome.”
Manchester City emerged as the highest spenders in the January transfer window, climbing into the top six of the Premier League net spend rankings. However, journalist David Ornstein insists their spending spree was not an attempt to “pre-empt a potential punishment” from their ongoing Financial Fair Play (FFP) case.
Ornstein also shed light on the club’s stance regarding the most severe penalty they could face, though the details of their expectations remain undisclosed.
“The important point to say from City’s perspective is that they are totally confident that they will be exonerated and prove their innocence, so they’re operating as usual,” Ornstein added.
“We saw them do a lot of business in the January transfer window. None of that business, to my knowledge, was to pre-empt potential punishment because they don’t think they are going to be punished for these alleged breaches.
“In the contract negotiations they’ve been holding in recent years, the transfer talks that have taken place, no clauses have been inserted into those deals to say ‘if City are punished, this is going to happen’. Players want to join Manchester City and they are continuing with everything that they are doing.
“It had no impact on Pep Guardiola signing a new contract in autumn, on Erling Haaland in the story I broke in January, on [sporting director] Txiki Begiristain’s decision to leave the club as sporting director – that was long-planned, or Hugo Viana’s decision to replace him.
“Think that they are going to be fined, let’s see how it materialises.”
