Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has said it is “time” for a trial to take place on the 115 charges of financial wrongdoing facing Manchester City.
The Manchester club were charged by the Premier League in February 2023 and the trial is expected to begin next month, run for ten weeks and be handed down in early 2025.
The charges against City are the result of a four-year investigation detailing financial irregularities committed by the club between 2009 and 2018.
“It’s been a number of years now and I think it’s clear that the case needs to be resolved,” Masters said in an interview with the BBC ahead of the start of the Premier League.
The Premier League president, however, did not want to give further details about a possible decision.
“When the case goes forward and a verdict is issued, all the questions you want answered will be answered,” he added.
Sanctions City could face if found guilty could range from a financial penalty to loss of points and even relegation.
City were fined a few weeks ago by the Premier League itself and forced to pay more than 2 million euros for breaking the rules on the start of the match and the restart after half-time on 22 occasions.
The Chelsea case
The investigation into Chelsea’s alleged financial irregularities during the Roman Abramovich era is “reaching its conclusion,” Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said.
According to an investigation revealed in 2023 by the British newspaper “The Guardian”, Abramovich used “offshore” companies during the two decades he was at Chelsea to pay agents and intermediaries so that the ‘Blue’ team could benefit financially.
The Russian tycoon had to sell Chelsea in the spring of 2022 due to his involvement with Russia and was bought by an American consortium, which put the club’s financial irregularities and lack of information during the Abramovich years in the hands of UEFA and the Premier League.
UEFA already fined Chelsea €10 million in July 2023 for “incorrect financial information” between 2012 and 2019.
“It’s complicated because we have the club talking to us about things that happened under another owner,” Masters said in an interview with British radio station TalkSport.
“All I can say is that the investigation is coming to a conclusion, but until it is complete I cannot say what will happen next,” he added.
The signings included in the Guardian investigation include Samuel Eto’o, William, Eden Hazard and Andreas Christensen.
