Man City face uncertain future as FFP verdict looms

By SABC Sport
7th March 2025

Manchester City's future in the Premier League remains uncertain as the verdict on their Financial Fair Play case is expected, but former captain Richard Dunne has suggested expulsion is unlikely.

City have been under investigation since 2019, with the Premier League charging them in early 2023 for allegedly breaching FFP regulations over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018.

The case was referred to an independent commission, and after the final statements were heard at the end of 2024, a decision is anticipated this month.

The potential consequences for City, if found guilty, include a heavy fine, points deduction, a transfer ban, expulsion from the league, or even the stripping of past titles.

However, Dunne believes the Premier League would avoid taking drastic action.

"I wouldn't have thought so," Dunne told GOAL when asked if City could be relegated. "If they were found guilty, the damage it would do to the Premier League by demoting them would be too much.

"City are a superpower, and a team the league needs. It would be a major surprise if that happened."

While a points deduction remains a possibility, Dunne pointed to past cases where financial breaches resulted in lesser sanctions. "What has gone previously has been fines and points deductions for clubs found guilty. I would imagine it will be something along those lines," he added.

A transfer ban has also been suggested as a potential punishment, but the process has been highly secretive. "It's all speculation because the whole process has taken too long, and nobody really knows what anybody else is thinking," Dunne said.

With an appeal expected regardless of the verdict, the saga looks set to continue, keeping City's fate hanging in the balance.