Man City give 115 charges update after 'imminent' claims amid Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham wait

The wait for a decision in the case of Manchester City's 115 charges by the Premier League goes on, as the club have given an update on where the process is right now

Manchester City have revealed that their case with the Premier League, with 115 charges levelled against them, is still ongoing with the independent panel still reviewing the situation. It came as part of the club's annual report, where reference to the legal proceedings was made.

The update said: "As at the date of publishing these financial statements the independent Commission is still in the process of reviewing the matter”. It comes as the wait for the outcome of the battle between the club and the league goes on, with plenty of interest taken in whichever outcome will come from it.

City were charged by the Premier League back in February 2023, as allegations were made surrounding the club breaching financial rules in nine years from 2009 until 2018 - something the club themselves have strongle denied doing. A five-year investigation from the league, starting in 2018, saw them present the charges in 2023, almost three years ago, while the hearing into the case was over one year ago.

The charges spanned from allegations of payments made off the books to a general lack of cooperation in the investigation process. The outcome, one way or another, is likely to be an important moment for the Premier League and the stakeholders, which could have serious repercussions for the future.

There was some hope that the outcome would be "imminent", potentially coming out before Christmas, but that now seems unlikely, as the new year beckons. Speaking back in late November, Man City's former advisor, Stefan Borson, told talkSPORT: "I think Simon thinks it's going to come out next year.

"I think it still could come out before Christmas. The decision has been imminent for quite some time; there's not a lot that they can do. It doesn't take that long."

The outcome of the hearing is likely to have a huge impact, especially if Man City are found guilty of the charges. It would be an unprecedented moment, with no standard currently set on what could be a punishment for an offence on the scale that the Premier League have suggested.

It means that, due to the current laws, there could be anything from a fine, to a points deduction, or even immediate relegation. That will naturally interest many parties, not least their rivals, who will be watching on to see how the decision shakes out.

For Arsenal, the implications are clear, as they look to chase down the Premier League title. For this season, it seems as though Man City are their nearest rivals, and any potential punishment could hamper them from challenging the Gunners.

The other question surrounds retroactive stripping of titles, if that were to come about, due to Arsenal finishing second on a few occasions to City. As the investigation only goes up to 2018, the Gunners wouldn't be handed any of those titles anyway, although the retroactive stripping of titles appears unlikely as a punishment at this stage.

While Chelsea may also be in a title race, the other potential interest for them, as well as Tottenham, comes from the race for a European place. If Man City were handed a blow to their points tally, that could open up what is essentially an extra spot in the Champions League for either to take.

Of course, all of this depends on whether Man City are found to have breached the rules, something they have denied throughout the process. It still remains to be seen what decision will be reached by the panel, as the wait goes on.