Three Years On: Why The Case Against Manchester City Remains A Mystery‎

Exactly three years have passed since the Premier League dropped one of the most explosive statements in its history.

‎Under the modest heading “Premier League statement”, the league published ten tightly written paragraphs that would ignite unprecedented debate across the football world.

‎The announcement revealed 134 disciplinary charges against Manchester City, champions of the two previous seasons and, as it turned out, the two seasons following as well. Yet despite the scale and seriousness of the case, the football world is still waiting for a verdict.

Landmark Case Cloaked in Silence

‎The charges related to years of alleged financial wrongdoing. They centred on two major claims: that Manchester City had failed to submit “accurate financial information” to the Premier League, and that the club had not properly “cooperate[d] … and assist[ed]” with the league’s extensive investigation.

‎Since that statement, however, almost no new public information has emerged. The Premier League has refused to provide updates, while Manchester City has stuck firmly to its original response a declaration that the club “welcomed” the appointment of an independent panel and that there exists “the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of [City’s] position”.

‎Beyond that, silence.

‎Both parties are deliberately cautious. Commenting before a verdict could be seen as an attempt to influence the independent panel, led by Murray Rosen KC. But their silence has opened the door to a storm of speculation.

‎Speculation Fills the Information Vacuum

‎Accusations of stalling, cover-ups, botched investigations, legal obstruction, and political pressure have circulated ever since the charges were announced. With no official updates, timelines have become guesswork, some insiders insist a verdict is “imminent”, while others argue we may be “years away”.

‎The hearings, held at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London, were completed in December 2024. They began a full year after charges were laid, following a four-year investigation by the Premier League.

‎Even then, almost fifteen months after the panel finished hearing evidence, the football world remains none the wiser.

‎Why Is the Process Taking So Long?

‎Explanations vary wildly. Some believe the panel is working through evidence with painstaking care to ensure that any verdict is legally watertight.

‎Others whisper less flattering theories, including claims that members of the panel have had to resume parts of their day jobs, slowing progress.

‎Inside English football, frustration is growing. One senior figure familiar with Premier League governance asked bluntly, “I genuinely think everybody is sitting there thinking, ‘What is the commission up to?’ It’s outrageous, the case is not that complicated.

‎”You also have to ask, why so many charges? Some are more serious than others but the same resource will inevitably have been thrown at fighting the most trivial and the most complex.”

‎“It needs a disciplinary system that matches the natural rhythm of the sport; it needs cases heard quickly.”

‎That was the rationale behind the Premier League’s 2023 reforms ensuring Profitability and Sustainability (PSR) breaches would be dealt with within the season.

‎Yet the City case predates that rule change and has become a test case of how slowly football’s legal machinery can move.

‎Pressure, Politics, and Shifting Dynamics

‎The Premier League has felt the heat. At the time the hearings were held, chief executive Richard Masters was reportedly under internal pressure, with concerns about his position growing.

‎While City continued spending around £450m across the last four transfer windows some felt the league was losing control of its own disciplinary process.

‎But the landscape evolved in 2025. Masters secured agreement on new financial rules, ending two years of infighting between clubs and stabilising his position.

‎Meanwhile, influential voices within the boardroom, including Arsenal’s Tim Lewis and Tottenham’s Daniel Levy, departed further calming tensions.

‎Today, the mood among Premier League shareholders is less confrontational and more fatigued. Clubs have wearied of relentless legal battles, with the league spending £45m on litigation in 2024 alone.

‎Many believe the outcome of the City case will have a limited direct impact on their own operations.

‎A Public Still Demanding Answers

‎Despite decreasing urgency among clubs, public interest remains intense.

‎Manchester City’s era of dominance may end up carrying an asterisk fairly or unfairly depending on the outcome. Some fear that the credibility of the Premier League itself is at stake.

‎The longer the process drags on, the more likely a nuanced or partial verdict may appear. A ruling where the City is cleared of some charges but found guilty of others and receives punishment that is “tangible but not transformative” is increasingly seen as plausible.

‎Yet three years later, the case is no closer to resolution in the public eye. The scale of the allegations is unprecedented; equally unprecedented is how little has leaked from behind the scenes.