Pep Guardiola has seen his odds to leave Manchester City slashed in the wake of them being charged with over 100 Financial Fair Play breaches by the Premier League, having previously indicated that he would be ready to walk away from the club if he'd found that they had lied to him over their finances.
The Premier League have filed more than 100 charges against City following a four-year investigation into their spending. City are owned by the Abu Dhabi state, using their vast wealth to build a team that has won multiple trophies under Guardiola.
This is not the first time City have faced scrutiny over their finances, with UEFA previously issuing them with a two-year ban from European competitions. That ban was later overturned, with Guardiola having vigorously defended his bosses in the media.
Bookies Betfair report that news of the charges on Monday immediately saw Guardiola's odds to be the next Premier League boss to leave slashed from 100/1 to 11/2, making him the third favourite to be the next boss to go behind Southampton's Nathan Jones and Leeds boss Jesse Marsch.
Guardiola is also now just 1/2 to not be at City for the start of next season, and 6/4 to still be there.
Following his side's exit from the Champions League last season, the Spaniard vowed he would quit his job if he found that City's owners had lied to him about their financial dealings.
“Why did I defend the club and the people? It’s because I work with them. When they are accused of something I ask them: ‘Tell me about that.’ They explain and I believe them," Guardiola said last May.
"I said to them: ‘If you lie to me, the day after I am not here. I will be out and I will not be your friend any more. I put my faith in you because I believe you 100% from day one and I defend the club because of that.’
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“When you put something here [sponsor] it’s overpaid, but other [clubs] the money comes from the USA but the money is correct, even if it’s higher. We have to deal with that, we have to fight with that. As always I am a big fan to support this organisation, no doubt.
“It’s a situation in 2012 or 2013, I was still in Barcelona, most of the people running that are not here now, but of course I would not like it. What I like is to represent a club who do things properly. It’s not about winning the Champions League and the Premier League, we want to do well for our people and our fans.”
That promise to quit has taken on greater relevance in the wake of City being handed more than 100 charges by the Premier League over breaches of their financial rules. The alleged breaches relate to a nine-year period, with points deductions and fines some of the punishments that could be handed down if they are proven.
"In accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today referred a number of alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules by Manchester City Football Club (Club) to a Commission under Premier League Rule W.3.4," the league said in a statement.
"Commissions are independent of the Premier League and member clubs. The members of the Commission will be appointed by the independent Chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel, in accordance with Premier League Rules W.19, W.20 and W.26.
"The proceedings before the Commission will, in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82, be confidential and heard in private. Under Premier League Rule W.82.2, the Commission’s final award will be published on the Premier League’s website.
"This confirmation is made in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1. The Premier League will be making no further comment in respect of this matter until further notice."
