Manchester City could be hit with severe sanctions by the FA and the Premier League if they are found guilty of the financial charges levelled at them on Monday.
A bombshell statement from the Premier League detailed a four-year investigation charging City with numerous breaches of financial rules dating from 2009 to 2018. They relate to misleading reporting of their accounts, inappropriate manager and player payments, UEFA and FFP regulations.
If found guilty, City could be hit with a number of potential punishments ranging from hefty fines to a transfer embargo, a points deduction – or even expulsion in the most severe case. Not since 2009 has a top-flight side in England been docked points with Portsmouth deducted nine after entering administration, but the severity and nature of the charges on the table mean there is virtually no established guideline within the Premier League for what City could be hit with.
