Partner Ian Hargreaves comments on Manchester City ruling in national and international press

Commenting in the national and international press, Partner Ian Hargreaves discusses the reported verdict in Manchester City’s long-running Premier League proceedings, examining the potential sanctions, scope for appeal and wider legal and commercial implications for the club and English football.

“The rumoured verdict is not the end of the story but the beginning of a new phase in what has become one of the most closely watched legal battles in global sport.

“The key questions this news raises are what sanction the panel considers proportionate and what guidance can be drawn from previous cases. There is a wide range of options, with a transfer ban at the more moderate end of the spectrum and expulsion from the league the most severe repercussion.

“There is also the question of whether the panel’s decision can withstand a hard-fought appeal, and on what grounds any challenge might be brought. Much will depend on the detail of the panel’s findings and reasoning, which will inevitably be closely scrutinised by both sides.

“The outcome will also have wider implications for the balance of power in European football, although Premier League clubs will point out that these findings relate to historic conduct and not the league’s current financial framework.”

Ian’s comments were published in Reuters, The Telegraph, City AM, The New York Times’ The Athletic, the Daily Mirror and the Manchester Evening News.