The Premier League first issued a charge against Manchester City in February 2023, but there has been no ruling in two and a half years. The city denies fraud
Premier League CEO Richard Masters says that while it takes to reach a decision in the Manchester City case, the frustration he may feel is “unrelated” and that he and everyone else must “have to be patient.”
The Premier League introduced the matter to the Independent Committee in February 2023, when it allegedly issued more than 100 charges against the city in connection with alleged violations of its financial rules and failed to cooperate in subsequent investigations.
The city has always vehemently denied fraud. The case was heard by the committee between September and December last year, but the decision has not been made public.
The issue lies in the league as the 2025-26 season begins this weekend and the Masters have not controlled or spoken out by his organization.
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Asked by Sky Sports news why the league couldn’t rush the process, Masters said:
“So it means that it is essentially an independent judiciary, so when an allegation or accusation is proposed, you go before an independent panel that is independently selected and takes charge of the process and its timing.
“They hear this incident, they decide the outcome and we don’t have an impact on it or its timing.
“And yes, if you think from an independence perspective, there are independent people making those decisions and we just have to wait.
“My frustration is irrelevant. I mean, I just have to wait, and rarely take longer than you expected, but we have to be patient.”
City boss Pep Guardiola has always supported the club’s stance that there was no fraud and said in February he hopes to reach the verdict within the month.
“I think there’s a verdict and a sentence in a month,” Guardiola said. “Then you’ll see my opinion on what’s happened so far.”
Refining his belief that the club is not a cash splash, he said: “My words won’t convince people. I know it’s always “just money.”
“However, in the last five years, we are the last in the top six of net spending. Even after spending this transfer period, we are still away from Chelsea (Manchester) United, Arsenal and Tottenham, from Liverpool as well.
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