Man City WILL be relegated if found guilty of FFP charges but expert explains why it's unlikely as Premier League champions launch legal challenge

06/04/2024 03:29 PM

Manchester City WILL be relegated from the Premier League if they are found guilty of FFP charges – but that is a big if.

That is the verdict of former City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who spoke to talkSPORT about the impending case surrounding the Premier League champions.

City could find themselves in serious hot water after being charged with breaching 115 Financial Fair Play rules over an eight-year period.

It has coincided with the club blossoming into the dominant force of English football from the 2010/11 and 2017/18 football seasons.

There had been talk that City could have their Premier League titles stripped during this period – having won the league in 2012, 2014 and 2018.

And there is even the possibility of relegation, though Borson cannot see such a situation happening.

Speaking to talkSPORT, the former City financial adviser said: “The scale is on a completely different level [to Everton and Nottingham Forest].

“There can be no question that, if these charges are proven, this will end in at least relegation. There is the suggestion of conspiracy over, effectively, a ten-year period.

“If proven, this is super serious. Nobody would argue with that. City will say, I promise you, that this is an allegation of the most serious nature.

“It seems to me to be highly unlikely that the conduct is alleged has taken place over a ten-year period with the sorts of individuals that are involved in the club and in the companies that are involved.

“It will be a very big call for any court or tribunal to suggest that this number of people have been dishonest, and perjured themselves.

“That would be a massive call for, effectively, some KCs and maybe a former finance director of a football club, to make against not just Manchester City, but against numerous executives, against third party individuals, and against, of course, potentially senior members of foreign states.”

In response to this threat, City have launched their own legal challenge against the Premier League, according to The Times.

The Citizens are pushing for the removal of Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, which they claim are 'unlawful'.

These rules were brought into action after Newcastle United’s majority takeover by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.

The point is to maintain competitiveness in the league by stopping clubs inflating their wealth through sponsorship deals linked to club owners.

Plus, any new sponsorship agreements must be agreed independently and to fair market value.

But City believe these laws to be unfair and state the fact they were voted in by a ‘tyranny of the majority.’

This relates to rules in the Premier League only being passed if 2/3rds of clubs vote for it.

As a result of this, a two-week arbitration is set to begin next week, with the other 19 Premier League clubs all invited to take part.

Between ten and 12 top-flight sides have elected to support the top-flight.

This is a totally separate hearing to City’s over their 115 charges, but it could have an impact on that case.

This is because one part of the Premier League’s case against the champions is based on inflated sponsorship deals from companies linked to Abu Dhabi.

City are alleged to have concealed payments made by their owner Sheikh Mansour through third parties, while four of City’s sponsorship deals have ties to Abu Dhabi.

So, if they it’s proven unlawful to have those deals blocked, City could have a lot of charges dropped before their hearing in November.