The Premier League champions were hit with the charges in February last year, prior to Everton being found to be in breach of PSR for the first time in March, a breach that the club have already been punished for with a 10-point deduction, currently under appeal. Everton and Nottingham Forest were handed fresh charges for breaching PSR for the financial year ending 2023, with both clubs referred to an independent commission.
That led to some questions about the status of Manchester City's own case, one that is historical and looks back at nearly a decade’s worth of potential breaches, many centred around alleged inflation of commercial agreements to allow greater spending to circumvent PSR rules. They are charges that City have robustly denied.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham are among the clubs that will be continually assessing what the PSR sanctions could mean for City. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, appearing at a Parliamentary select committee in Westminster on Tuesday morning to face questions over the delay in getting a ‘new deal for football’ agreed with the EFL, admitted that a date had been set for City’s hearing when quizzed on its status.
Said Masters: “I can (understand fans’ frustration) but they are very different charges (for Everton, when compared to Manchester City). When any club, the current champions or otherwise, found themselves in breach for 2022/23 then they would be in exactly the same position as Everton and Nottingham Forest.
“The volume and character of the charges against Manchester City, which I cannot talk about, are being heard in a completely different environment.
“There is a date set for that proceeding, I can’t tell you when that is but it is progressing. A date has been set.”
The City position on the alleged breaches has been a strong one, with chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak addressing the issue in the end of season address to fans in June last year following the treble triumph for Pep Guardiola ’s side. He told the club’s in-house media at the time: “We’re going through the legal process.
“These are proceedings that take whatever time they take and when we’re done, we’ll have a conversation. I’ll give you my very blunt views, I promise you that. I have very strong views on that, but I am going to be unfortunately very restrained today.
“Of course, I mean, it’s very frustrating, because it takes so much from the great work that’s happening at this club and it’s happening not just on the football pitch. The football pitch – we talked about that, what these players have achieved this year, the Treble, is incredible.
“I hope people focus and judge them for their football and what they’re achieving on the pitch and what they’re achieving in every competition they’re in. That’s the reality."
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