The legal battle between Manchester City and the Premier League could “get out of hand“ and could have serious consequences for English football, warned former Liverpool director Christian Purslow, writes "Match Telegraph".
Purslow, who was also the chief executive of Aston Villa and held a senior position at Chelsea, commented on the case after it became clear that Manchester City had been found guilty of the vast majority of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League.
The charges relate to alleged breaches of financial rules, including allegations that the club overstated its revenue from sponsorship deals with related companies and made payments outside of official accounts to circumvent financial regulations.
It has not yet been announced what punishment City will face. Possible sanctions include a points deduction, expulsion from the Premier League or a significant financial fine. The club is expected to appeal.
Meanwhile, other Premier League clubs are seeking legal advice on whether they can claim compensation for the alleged breaches.
Purslow warned that such claims could pile up because of the impact of City's performance over the nine seasons covered by the allegations.
“If you look at each of those nine seasons, then all 19 of Manchester City's rivals have suffered easily quantifiable losses to varying degrees,“ he told BBC Radio 4.
He said every higher Premier League finish brought significant financial benefits, and teams that were left out of the Champions League or relegated had potentially suffered even greater losses.
“If you add up all those claims over nine years, in the Premier League alone, the potential for this to get out of hand is huge“, added Purslow.
He called for a comprehensive settlement between the Premier League and Manchester City to end the ongoing uncertainty.
Football lawyer Paul Gilroy described the case as a “seismic moment for world football“ and revealed that so far four clubs have filed so-called defensive claims, reserving the right to seek compensation if City are ultimately found guilty.
The trial began after a four-year investigation, and the charges were formally laid in February 2023. The hearing before the independent commission ended 22 months ago, but the final outcome of the case has yet to be made public.
Former Manchester City chairman David Bernstein said he felt “terrible” after the news of the decision and stressed that if the charges are confirmed after the appeal, the punishment will probably have to be more serious than a financial fine.
“To see all this tarnished in this way is very sad“, commented Bernstein. He also insisted that the appeal process be concluded as quickly as possible.
The case covers a period in which Manchester City won eight trophies, including three English titles, three League Cups, one FA Cup and one “Community Shield“.
The charges relate to the periods in which the team was led by Roberto Mancini, Manuel Pellegrini and the first two seasons of Pep Guardiola.
The news has also caused a reaction among prominent supporters of the club. Oasis frontman and long-time City fan Noel Gallagher said he was "shocked" by the news.
"I was a bit surprised when I heard it on the radio. The club have always assured us that they categorically deny all the allegations. So it was shocking to hear that we were found guilty," Gallagher said.
He added that what was happening was "quite sad" for Manchester City fans and players.