Members of the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ which includes Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are reportedly pushing hardest to see Manchester City handed the severest punishment for breaching more than 100 financial rules.
The Premier League on Monday charged City with more than 100 financial rule breaches.
And should the reigning Premier League champions are found guilty, they face a range of potential sanctions including a points deduction or even an expulsion – though it could take years to come to a conclusion.
Sky Sports News have now reported that members of the ‘Big Six’ have been eager to see City given the harshest punishment.
Also, the report adds there is a growing sentiment that the retrospective action of stripping City’s titles is ‘meaningless’ and a fine is ‘not likely to have much of an effect’.
City have won six of the last 11 Premier League titles and sympathy from Big Six rivals is likely to be in short supply now.
The charges against City relate to financial information regarding revenue, details of manager and player remuneration, UEFA regulations, profitability and sustainability and co-operation with Premier League investigations.
A statement from the league said alleged breaches were committed from September 2009 to the 2017-18 season and will be referred to an independent commission.
City are also facing charges for failing to co-operate with the Premier League since the investigation was launched in 2018.
The six-times Premier League champions have been accused of failing to give “a true and fair view of the club’s financial position”, of failing to “include full details” of player and manager remuneration, of failing to comply with rules regarding financial fair play and failing to co-operate in a Premier League investigation that has concluded after more than four years.
The charges will send shockwaves throughout the world of sport. City have reshaped football since they were taken over by a private equity group controlled by the royal family of Abu Dhabi in 2008. The value of their squad is estimated to be more than £1bn and the club sits at the heart of a global network of 12 football teams.
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