Man City FFP: City ‘receive signal’ PL have ‘bitten off more than they can chew’ with resolution ‘close’ | OneFootball

According to reports, Manchester City have ‘received a signal’ that the Premier League may be making moves to ‘resolve’ their FFP case.

At the start of 2023, the Premier League referred Man City to an independent commission over 115 alleged breaches of their Financial Fair Play rules.

Pep Guardiola‘s side face severe sanctions, including a points deduction, transfer ban and/or huge fine, if they are proven guilty, but they have remained confident of their innocence throughout this process, with business as usual at the Etihad.

The City vs Premier League hearing concluded at the end of 2024 and it was hoped that a verdict would have been announced by now, but very little has been said regarding a potential resolution over the past year.

However, earlier this week, a report claimed Man City’s lead barrister ‘will argue’ that a measly fine will be a worthy punishment after Chelsea were recently hit with a £10m fine and suspended transfer ban for their wrongdoing.

And a report from Football Insider and former Everton, Aston Villa and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness claims Man City have ‘received a signal’ with the Chelsea verdict.

It is also noted that this could indicate that a resolution with Man City’s FFP case is ‘close to being finalised’, with the Premier League potentially planning a “peaceful” finish to the proceedings.

“If this de-escalation on the Chelsea side is a signal that the Premier League are trying to find resolutions, are trying to find ways to lessen the impact and not to become so pugilistic in terms of appeals and different things, maybe that’s a signal to Man City that they are trying to find a solution and find a way forward,” Wyness told Football Insider.

“So I’m trying to read into the bigger picture of this. What I’m seeing, though, while that may be something I’ve been preaching for a long time, is that we’ve got to try and get out of this legal mess and not have the legal battles that we’re having.

“We’ve got to find ways to resolve these things, but nevertheless, it doesn’t seem fair to those clubs who have been treated poorly at the start.

“And now the Premier League realise they’ve bitten off more than they can chew, and they’re having to find ways to peacefully get things resolved.

“Maybe this is a signal about Man City’s 115 charges, and as I’ve been hoping that behind the scenes there’d have been talks going on to try and find a fair resolution, maybe this is just one little signal we can clutch at to think that there could be some sort of resolution in the offing.

“For everybody’s point of view it makes sense, rather than paying on these huge horrendous legal bills that are mounting up for every club right now.”