Manchester City

Daniel Austin
BBC Sport senior journalist

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How long will City's appeal take?

The commission was made up of three people, each with many years' experience in the legal field.

The appeal will now be heard in private by a new, three-person independent commission panel, each with a similar expert background in law.

One section of the Premier League regulations says that an appeal hearing should conclude within 12 weeks of it being heard, and a decision communicated within 30 days of that.

Twelve weeks from Thursday – when City say they lodged the appeal – would be 24 December.

But this timeframe can also be disapplied if deemed necessary, meaning it remains uncertain how long the process will actually take.

The relevant regulation was only added to the rule book this summer.

Previous precedent suggests that sanctions against City will only be imposed after a decision on the appeal, though this is not guaranteed.

There could therefore also be a second appeal later down the line, against any sanctions imposed on the club.

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What will City argue?

City will claim as part of their appeal that key sponsorship deals were funded by the Abu Dhabi government, rather than the club's owners.

Owners Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) - a private investment company belonging to United Arab Emirates vice-president and deputy prime minister Sheikh Mansour - are said to have topped up the value of commercial deals as part of a "disguised funding scheme" to the scale of £830.69m.

This, it was argued, enabled the club to appear to comply with Premier League and Uefa financial rules.

Premier League rules allow state-owned bodies to sponsor clubs.

City's principal sponsor Etihad Airways has said it is considering legal action against the Premier League, claiming the release of the commission findings had "damaging implications… despite the airline not being named in the redacted published findings".

The UAE's state-owned national airline said it "categorically rejects any finding, conclusion or implication that suggests the airline has ever been involved in improper commercial arrangements".

Etihad is owned by sovereign wealth fund L'Imad which is chaired by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the son of the UAE president.

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England boss Thomas Tuchel says the news Manchester City have been found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations has been a "big topic" of conversation in the Three Lions camp.

The news was broken by The Athletic on Friday last week and confirmed by a Premier League statement on Tuesday, just hours before England's win over Czech Republic - but the story has now further developed, with City lodging an appeal against the verdict.

During his news conference before Saturday's Nations League match against Croatia, Tuchel was asked whether the news is impacting the camp.

"I guess so," he said. "We had some time off between the matches and it is a big subject. Everyone speaks about it, so there is no other voice needed. I am glad to be not that voice. No-one needs my half knowledge on the topic.

"Of course, the players talk about it. City players talk about it. We talk with them but only briefly. They are ready to go tomorrow. But, of course, it's a big topic in the camp."

City defender Nico O'Reilly has returned to the club for treatment on an injury, but club-mates Elliot Anderson and Marc Guehi are likely to feature on Saturday, with the Tuchel saying the latter is "very likely to start".

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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So much has been said about Manchester City since it was revealed they had been found guilty of the majority of the 115 Premier League charges levelled at them, but so far there has been little focus on what it means for their current squad.

Without definitive clarity on what sanctions the Premier League will impose, pending the appeal Manchester City have lodged, there is uncertainty over their ability to retain players, renew contracts and make transfers.

Put simply: will players want to join and will the current players want to stay?

The general train of thought is that any drop down the leagues will result in a mass exodus and that players will consider their futures at Etihad Stadium, at the very least.

The reaction from current members of the Manchester City squad varies depending on who you speak to. Sources close to the first team have told BBC Sport that there is certainly a significant level of concern as to how they will be affected.

For those players who decide they don't want to drop down the divisions, should it come to that, the process of leaving is unlikely to be straightforward.

Given how much their players are worth, in terms of wages and general value in the market, you would imagine the club are unlikely to accept being undercut.

BBC Sport also understands that the majority of the players do not have relegation clauses in their current contracts, which also plays into the club's hands.

It is also understood that the players' contracts are fully guaranteed, meaning they would not be required to take percentage pay cuts if the club loses its top-flight status, but maintaining one of the highest wage bills in the world will become harder without Premier League-level income.

Parachute money could ease those concerns, but there are no guarantees the club would be entitled to those payments if they are demoted.

However, it is unlikely Manchester City will roll over and let disillusioned players depart without suitable offers because, ultimately, they can ride the storm financially.

They are also big payers and other clubs may not be as willing to meet similar wage demands. One agent told BBC Sport: "Some players want medals, all players want money."

Any deals that include exit strategies, if the club fall out of the Premier League, would have to be negotiated as new contracts as well - but a number of agents, who spoke to BBC Sport, believe the players will be advised to wait for clarity on the punishments before even considering opening talks.

It is also important to note that Manchester City's potential challenges with player contracts come at the same time as Fifa's plans to introduce new rules that state every deal signed on 1 January 2027 or after must include a release clause.

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Barcelona made an enquiry about defender Josko Gvardiol last season but it was clear he did not want to leave Manchester City. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external

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Ex-Manchester City midfielder Giorgi Kinkladze, who played for the club from 1995 to 1998, wrote on X: "Manchester City will always be part of my heart. I arrived at Maine Road in 1995 and lived through some very difficult days with this club.

"Relegation, uncertainty, seasons when nothing went our way. But one thing never changed: the supporters stood by City every single week.

"Today there is a lot of noise around the club. I'm not here to talk about courtrooms. I'm here to say that this club, its people and its fans have been through storms before, and they always came back stronger.

"Stay together. Stay proud. Blue forever."

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"The modern Manchester City doesn't really exist without the way the club has been operating," says The Athletic's James Horncastle - but Spanish journalist Guillem Balague believes a guilty verdict shouldn't "taint" Pep Guardiola's achievements.

The 55-year-old won 17 major trophies during his 10 years at Etihad Stadium, including six Premier League titles and a Champions League.

"If there was evidence he participated in any wrongdoing it would definitely be examined, but there is zero evidence of that," Balague said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues podcast. "A finding about Manchester City isn't a finding about Pep Guardiola.

"You can question the club's behaviour without pretending that everything he did as a manager is fraudulent. You can recognise what he achieved without defending the club. In my opinion, these aren't contradictory positions. In my eyes, his work should not be tainted by this.

"He asked the lawyers and Khaldoon Al Mubarak many times if there was anything wrong - and, in different ways, they all told him there is nothing wrong. He can only go about his business after that.

"If you look at how much money he spent compared to others, Manchester City were the fourth net-spending Premier League club across the 10 years he managed them.

"People can say as often as they want that he is a cheat or a fraud, but they are only trying to mix the behaviour of a club - who are part of an ongoing process, it has to be said - with the world of a manager who reached extraordinary heights with a team that wasn't guaranteed to reach them."

However, Horncastle said: "I disagree. The players he got in were already being talked about as being subject to interest from the very best clubs around the world - and Manchester City were able to afford both their fees and their salaries.

"If you look at the independent commission's findings, the club circumvented the Premier League's rules in this way with the 'disguised funding scheme' that was elaborated on from the start of 2010.

"In my opinion, the modern Manchester City doesn't really exist without the way the club has been operating."

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Manchester City left-back Nico O'Reilly has left the England camp and returned to his club for further assessment.

The 21-year-old played the whole of the 3-2 Nations League defeat by Spain at Wembley on Saturday, but was then not available for the 2-0 win over Czech Republic in Prague on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, City youngster Matty Henderson-Hall been added to the England Under-21s squad as a training player by Lee Carsley, before European Under-21 Championship against Slovakia and Republic of Ireland.

Football fans in Spain have received a "filtered version" of the news that Manchester City have been found guilty of serious financial breaches, says Spanish journalist Guillem Balague.

While the 115 charges relate to a period between 2009-10 and 2017-18, the story carries a "Catalan implication" as the timeline overlaps with the beginning of Pep Guardiola's time as manager.

City continue to deny any wrongdoing and have until Friday to submit an appeal.

Balague told BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues podcast: "Given it is the international break, after you stop talking about Lamine Yamal and Spain's 40-game unbeaten run, what else is there to talk about?

"Of course it is a story which has a Catalan implication, but I feel like Spain is receiving a filtered version of everything that has been disclosed in England.

"But when it goes into the realms of debate over here, it just goes into the trenches.

"The anti-Guardiola people are saying: 'I told you so. There's no way they could have won that much unless they had cheated.' The pro-Guardiola people are saying: 'You cannot mix what the club has supposedly done with what he achieved there.'

"I wouldn't say it has become a story that is opening news bulletins as yet, but it is certainly a story that everybody is aware of in Spain."

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Elsewhere, BBC Radio Manchester has been hosting a debate on the guilty verdict, with City fan Rachel and Manchester United supporter Joe sharing their thoughts on the situation.

Listen to their full chat below or on BBC Sounds here

Chris Wathan
BBC Sport Wales

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Erling Haaland has been unaffected by the "sham contract" verdict against Manchester City, according to the Norway camp he's been with since the news broke.

Haaland will play for the first time since the Premier League's confirmation of City's financial rule breaches when Norway take on Wales in Cardiff on Thursday (19:45 BST).

The 26-year-old was kept away from the media before and after Norway's Nations League defeat by Portugal on Sunday after reports of City's guilty verdict first emerged.

As expected, Haaland was not put in front of the cameras as the World Cup quarter-finalists arrived in Wales amid headlines over his club and what next for the former champions, who continue to deny any wrongdoing.

He trained as normal at Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday evening, with Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer saying Haaland had been "no different" since the news broke.

"He's been exactly the way he's always the same with the national team," said Ajer.

"He's truly focused on the upcoming games. I think he's trying to do the same as everyone else, wait and see what the outcome is - but right now the main focus is Wales. That's clearly been his way of doing it."

Manager Stale Solbakken attempted to deflect questions, tersely saying Haaland was "very good" and "scoring goals" before admitting he did miss one chance against Portugal he would normally have finished.

But asked if he had to speak to the forward because of the extra focus, Solbakken replied: "What we speak about is between him and me."

Dan Roan
Sports editor

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Manchester City's club sponsor Etihad Airways has said it is considering legal action against the Premier League.

In a statement, the United Arab Emirates-based airline said it "categorically rejects any finding, conclusion or implication that suggests the airline has ever been involved in improper commercial arrangements".

It added: "The Premier League's public communication of the commission's findings, following a period of selective leaks and reporting, has further created damaging implications for Etihad despite the airline not being named in the redacted published findings."

Etihad, City's main sponsor since 2009, also said it was given no opportunity to engage in a process that now reflects "adversely on the airline".

The statement added: "Etihad is deeply concerned by the way this matter has been communicated publicly.

"The lack of clarity and transparency, together with the selective disclosure of information, has created damaging implications for Etihad despite the airline not being named in the published decision.

"The Premier League must take responsibility for the consequences of the way in which these findings have been presented.

"Etihad will seek the relevant legal counsel on the options and recourse available to protect its interests."

The Premier League declined to comment when contacted by BBC Sport.

Real Madrid and Barcelona have both been monitoring Manchester City forward Erling Haaland and will be ready to move if the opportunity arises. (Sun), external

German giants Bayern Munichwould move for midfielder Phil Foden if he becomes available. (Teamtalk), external

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Football finance expert Kieran Magiure, has been answering your questions after Manchester City were found guilty of all charges related to breaches of financial rules.

Gary: Is there any chance this could be resolved by the end of the season?

Kieran: There is a very high chance it will be resolved by the end of the season. Because if it is not, we could end up in another situation very similar to that of Burnley and Everton where a club could be relegated and Manchester City are not given a deduction. And next season, a club that finished in 18th could say had that deduction been applied earlier, we wouldn't have been relegated. So that would add to the complications.

Certainly looking at the Premier League's press release itself, it does seem that it is very keen to resolve it as quickly as possible. If you take a look at the length of time that it took the commissions in respect to Nottingham Forest and Everton, once they have heard the evidence, applying the sanctions is the quickest part. It's listening to evidence that is the torturous process.

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Dappy: Based on everything you read, what is the most likely punishment going to be for Manchester City?

Kieran: I agree that it could be a very hefty points deduction and a transfer embargo at the very least. On top of that, I believe there will be a very significant financial penalty added into the equation. The logic behind having a transfer embargo is that it then becomes a multi-season issue.

If we go back to 2013 when City were in breach of Uefa rules, they had a transfer ban, wage and squad caps, it did impact the club in the subsequent season.

Rehan: If Manchester City get a huge fine, what would the FA do with that money? Where would it go?

Kieran: It would be shared by the Premier League clubs, including Manchester City. And it will be offset against the league's legal bill. Discussions with lawyers suggest they think City could be liable for about two-thirds to three-quarters of Premier League's legal costs, which is estimated to be in the region of £50-60m.

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