Man City news as transfer snub explained and 115 charges 'hell could break loose'

Manchester City are still waiting to learn the outcome of their 115 Premier League charges, with the verdict expected to be delivered in the coming weeks

Manchester City suffered a significant setback on the pitch over the weekend, and off-field uncertainty continues to loom. The Sky Blues were left reeling at Villa Park on Sunday when they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa.

However, their season could take another dramatic twist depending on the outcome of their ongoing court case. Back in February 2023, City were slapped with 115 financial charges, the implications of which could be monumental for the club.

The lengthy hearing kicked off in September last year, with the anniversary of its conclusion looming in early December. Yet, rumours are swirling that City could receive the verdict on their Premier League charges during the November international break.

With both the club and its supporters kept in suspense about the outcome, the latest news from the City camp involves a financial expert offering his perspective on what might transpire if the Citizens were found guilty.

It's been claimed that the case's resolution could trigger turmoil among Premier League clubs. On the playing front, Spurs defender Luka Vuskovic has spoken about the possibility of switching sides to join City one day.

City warned that 'all hell could break loose'

According to The i Paper, an insider with knowledge of arbitration cases has suggested that legal experts are gearing up for a verdict on City's alleged financial breaches to be delivered by mid-November. It is also reported that several figures within Premier League clubs anticipate a decision before the year's end.

Furthermore, a source was quoted as saying: "It's gone very quiet and because it's been going on for so long it's almost been forgotten about, but all hell could break loose when it lands." The report also unveiled that a staggering 250,000 documents could form part of the case. It is common practice among legal experts to allow four weeks of deliberation for every week a hearing lasts.

As outlined in the report, this was the case for Everton's initial profitability and sustainability case, which lasted five days. If this rule of thumb were applied to City's charges, their supposed 12-week case would require 48 weeks of deliberation, suggesting a conclusion in early November.

Earlier this month, Stefan Borson, former legal advisor to the club, told talkSPORT: "I think there's a very good chance it will come out in the next international window, and I really can't see it going into 2026. I just cannot see it extending beyond the year. I think it is almost out."

Legal expert discusses City options

City are facing charges including a "failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information from 2009/10 to and including 2017/18," and a "failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations from December 2018 - present [February 2023]." Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley believes that City will almost certainly lodge an appeal if found guilty of breaching the rules.

"It is tricky to tell on timeframe linked to appeal as it could keep going on and on," he said. "It depends on what the verdict is and then what either side would do next, etc, but both parties have the right to appeal, and we have certainly already heard noises from City in the past that they would look to appeal and tie the PL up in litigation.

"These things are never straightforward, and you are dealing with power and egos too in the middle of this, which cannot be ignored. It was always likely to be a lengthy process given the amount of charges and the time frame it relates to. Lawyers on both sides need to pore over the detail, and then there is the independent commission hearing and the verdict itself.

"There will then be a further delay until we see the decision and any detail in the public domain, which is again normal in the course of how these things run. It is a very costly exercise on both sides, though that is for sure."

Regarding potential consequences should the ruling go against City, he continued: "I would suggest that a points deduction and fine would be most likely, with relegation and title stripping being the extreme, but unlikely, scenarios."

Spurs youngster teases City move

Tottenham Hotspur prospect Luka Vuskovic has insisted he is approaching things "one step at a time" when questioned about potentially joining City in the future. Before securing his switch to Spurs, City had shown considerable interest in the centre-half.

The defender wasn't included in Thomas Frank's plans this campaign, prompting Spurs to loan him out to Hamburg SV in the Bundesliga, where he's featured six times and netted once. Sport Klub have now interviewed the 18-year-old Croatian, during which he reflected on his choice to head to north London rather than Manchester.

"The feeling was really great, I was overjoyed," he said on moving to Spurs. "My father called me, said that they were just waiting for my signature, that they really wanted me. They showed me the project. And I really liked it. I didn't think much about it.

"I think Tottenham was a perfect fit because they presented a great project. Manchester City has many, many, many young players. I didn't want to be just a number. At Tottenham, they presented me as one of the top projects. And that really meant a lot to me at that moment. That was the deciding factor, let's say."

However, Vuskovic didn't rule out the prospect of playing for City in the future if they were to renew their interest in him. He said: "I honestly have no idea. I'm taking it one step at a time, feeling great right now, making good progress. And I hope it continues that way."

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