A number of Premier League clubs are seeking legal advice amid an expectation that Manchester City have been found guilty of hundreds of breaches of financial regulations, sources told ESPN.
The decision of the independent panel that heard the Premier League’s case against City has not been formally communicated.
However, a source has told ESPN that they’ve been made aware that a decision has been reached after deliberations which lasted 22 months.
City are refusing to deny that they’ve been informed that a guilty verdict has been handed down in the majority of the 115 charges which have formed the Premier League’s case. The Premier League refused to comment when approached by ESPN.
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No sanctions against City have been announced, and sources at the Etihad Stadium have insisted that any guilty verdict will be met with an immediate appeal.
But with a number of Premier League executives now believing hundreds of rules breaches have been proved, sources told ESPN that potential compensation claims from impacted clubs are being considered.
Sources told ESPN that a number of clubs believe they have lost out on substantial revenue because of City’s actions, including prize money, sponsorship bonuses and income generated by playing in European competitions.
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City have maintained their innocence throughout the case with the Premier League and on Friday issued a statement insisting the process is “ongoing.”
The club statement read: “The Premier League process remains ongoing with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.
“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
