Man City FFP: Reliable journalist gives incredible new timeline on verdict as ‘frustration’ builds

The wait to find out the verdict of the Premier League FFP case against Man City “could yet go on for at least another year”, according to reports.

The Citizens had a poor campaign under Pep Guardiola last season after winning the Premier League title in each of their previous four campaigns.

Guardiola’s side, who are currently second in the Premier League after 21 matches, have had the shadow of their FFP case hanging over them with a verdict expected months ago.

An independent commission hearing to examine 115 charges laid by the Premier League against Man City started in September 2024 and ended in December.

The Premier League opened an investigation into Man City way back in 2018 and after a number of legal delays, charges were finally laid in February 2023 and the club were referred to an independent commission.

The charges against the Citizens relate to the requirement to accurately report financial information, including around the value of sponsorship deals, the submission of details of manager and player pay information and to a club’s responsibility as a Premier League member to adhere to UEFA’s financial regulations and to the league’s own profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).

READ: Guehi to Liverpool, Neves to Man Utd among six forced hijack transfers to save this January window

They are also accused of failing to co-operate with the league’s investigation. In all, there are charges relating to every season between 2009-10 and 2022-23.

Man City boss Guardiola said in February that he expected “a verdict and a sentence” in one month (March 2025) but that didn’t come as the date continues to be a secret.

Guardiola said: “In one month I think there will be a verdict and a sentence and after we will see my opinion of what happened so far. Still, at the end, every club can do whatever they want.

“Because in the last 10 years we are third [for net spend], but in the last five even with what we won we are behind the top six teams so I’m sorry for the comments and that is why I don’t agree.

“In the last five years, we are the last team in the top six. Even after what we have spent in this transfer window, we are away from Chelsea, United, Arsenal, Tottenham.

“Even from Liverpool. The only reason why is we sell a lot in the last seasons but even with that I know this club, it is always ‘just about the money.'”

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And in a huge update, The Independent‘s Miguel Delaney has revealed that sources have told him that the process “could yet go on for at least another year”.

Delaney said on The Independent‘s YouTube channel: “The 115, it’s sometimes called, even though it’s related to 129, 130 charges, could yet go on for at least another year. That comes from sources with knowledge of the process.

“They’re also telling us that outside a small circle, no one has pretty much any idea when the three judges on the independent panel will even come to an outcome…But if it is an outcome unfavourable to City, there’s almost certain to be an appeal.

“I mean, this is all the more remarkable, of course, because the hearing, so I suppose you’d call it the third stage of this, at this point, nine-year investigation, this hearing concluded in December 2024.

“And it was expected to be announced in around February 2025. We’re now over a year on. No one is any the wiser. I understand there is some frustration at the top of the Premier League about this, but there’s not much they can do about it.”