Man City FFP: Ex-Premier League CEO picks out major hint on verdict amid ’60-point deduction’ claim | OneFootball

Man City have been given a massive vote of confidence from two huge sponsorship deals as they await a ruling on their Premier League allegations.

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 27 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 2024.

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).

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.'”

It continues to be business as usual for Man City with the Premier League giants securing two huge sponsorship deals recently with Chinese firm BYD and Revolut signing off on partnerships.

On the deals, former Aston Villa CEO Christian Purslow said on The Football Boardroom Podcast: “They are the only club to have £700m of revenue three times. I would also say that one metric the business community would apply to the health of top football clubs is the quality of calibre of sponsors and sponsorship deals, and Manchester City in the last week or two have added two commercial partners.

“One is BYD, the Chinese EV maker, one of the fastest growing companies in the world, the dominant EV maker in the world nudging ahead of Tesla. Every single football club in the world would want BYD as their automotive car partner; they’ve gone to Manchester City.

“There are no suggestions of any links whatsoever from Manchester City’s ownership group to BYD – it is a huge public Chinese company. Nearer home, the fastest growing fintech company in the world, Revolut, a company that is expected to have a huge public offering in the next year or two, some of the most prestigious owners of the world.

“Revolut is the fintech banking partner for Manchester City. They’re not just a tick, they are a huge endorsement by major business entities that they want their brand associated with Manchester City so any sense that the business community is holding off endorsing Manchester City because it has some as yet undetermined legal case is for the words.

“If Billy Hogan [CEO] at Liverpool was here, or Vinai [Venkatesham, CEO] at Spurs, or Todd Boehly at Chelsea, and they were offered a chance to have Revolut and BYD as sponsors, they would pull your arm off.

“That for me is any argument why I see no reason that City might say they should settle this case or give up or not appeal.

“Why on earth would they draw that? They believe they are innocent, they have a legitimate course of action, I expect them to take it.”

Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness has expressed his “surprise” that there have been no leaks about a potential verdict in Man City’s FFP case.

Wyness told Football Insider: “Lots of different ideas about what sort of solution could be. No one knows the facts.

“They’ve managed to keep a pretty tight lid on this very well, and I’m surprised there’s been no leaks, but I’m just hoping that’s what’s taking the time.

“The story we’re getting is that it’s because some of the judges etc are tied up on other cases etc but that doesn’t seem to stack up in terms of the length of time this is now taking.

“So I’m afraid that we’re all at a bit of a loose end, but I say I’m just hoping that it’s because they’re trying to find a solution behind the scenes that can save face both for the Premier League and for Man City if it comes to that.

“So, I’m afraid there’s no light yet to shed on this, and we’re just all clutching at straws and I say conspiracies are starting to come into the picture, which is never good.”