Man City FFP: Citizens ‘believe they will dominate’ after massive development
Manchester City are “determined to show it’s business as usual” despite the imminent verdict on their 115 FFP charges, with the expansion of the Etihad evidence that they “believe they will dominate again next year”.
In the redevelopment of the stadium the club is adding a huge new tier to the North Stand to take the capacity from 53,400 to nearly 62,000, with a hotel, fan zone and club museum also part of the development.
It’s expected to be completed before the start of the 2025/2026 campaign, by which point they will know the outcome of the hearing into their alleged financial misconduct, which could result in them being relegated from the Premier League.
The verdict of the independent tribunal is expected within weeks, but former Everton CEO Keith Wyness, who now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs, claims City aren’t thinking about anything other than further domination of English football after a one-season blip.
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “This stadium expansion comes with Man City determined to show everything is business as usual, regardless of the 115 charges.
“We’re going to see this expansion progressing, they want to get this stadium going – because they believe they will dominate again next year.
“They’ll want to jump straight back in after the verdict – that’s the mindset at the Etihad.
“I’d be amazed if there were any other feelings within the club.”
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Football finance expert Kieran Maguire spoke earlier this week about the likely punishment for City if found guilty.
“A points deduction would be the most likely outcome should the club be found guilty,” Maguire told Football on Trial: The Manchester City Charges podcast on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“As for the quantum of points deduction, if Everton were initially given a 10 points deduction for going around about £10/12 million over the limits in one particular season, I think, in order to set an example to the rest of football, it’s got to act as a deterrent.
“We’ll probably be looking at somewhere in the region of 60 to 100 point, which would effectively guarantee relegation out of the Premier League and into the lower tiers of football in the EFL.”
Maguire also believes that a guilty verdict would force the Manchester City board of directors to leave their posts.
“The other thing that would happen is that the board of directors at Manchester City effectively would be proven to be liars and misrepresenting the state of the football club to the authorities; I don’t see how they can keep their jobs.”
There have been claims in the past that City may not have anywhere to go if they’re relegated or even expelled from the Premier League, but Maguire believes the EFL would have to accept them.
He added: “There has been a suggestion that the EFL might refuse to accept Manchester City in terms of its competition, but looking at their rulebook, I don’t think that is feasible.”