Man City chief Soriano tells European clubs the club will contest Premier League charges

Pinned summary · as of 15:52

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano told other European club bosses in Copenhagen on Monday, 28 September, that City will contest the Premier League's financial charges. Reports say the club was found in breach on nearly all of the 115 counts, though no penalty has been announced and City is expected to appeal.

What we know

• Mr Soriano spoke to fellow executives at a board meeting of European Football Clubs in Copenhagen on Monday, 28 September, and said City would keep fighting the case and expects it to last for years.
• Reports say an independent commission found City in breach on the great majority of the 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules. The Ghana Report and Ghanaian Times both described the finding as reported, not officially published.
• City is expected to appeal, and the process is not yet finished.
• The club maintains that it did nothing wrong. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has said City remains confident of proving its innocence.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  The exact tally is not settled. Ghanaian Times, citing media reports confirmed to Reuters by a person familiar with the matter, said City was found guilty of 114 of the 115 alleged breaches, while The Ghana Report spoke only of the vast majority. The Premier League has not published the full judgment because of confidentiality rules.
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  MyJoyOnline, relaying BBC Sport, reported that City said the league process still had significant elements to complete and was covered by strict confidentiality. It also said other top-flight clubs are taking legal advice about possible compensation. These points come from one account and are not confirmed elsewhere.
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  No sanction has been announced yet, according to Ghanaian Times and MyJoyOnline. MyJoyOnline listed a deduction of points, relegation from the top division or a heavy fine as possible outcomes, but no source says which, if any, will be imposed.
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  MyJoyOnline reported, citing the Press Association, that Mr Soriano said it had taken eight years to reach this point and would take a lot longer, going back to the league inquiry that began in 2018. The Ghana Report gave a similar remark, but Ghanaian Times only referred to the procedure taking years.
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  The Ghana Report said the club was referred to an independent commission in 2023 after a four-year investigation. It described the allegations as concerning financial reporting and other regulatory matters over several seasons. MyJoyOnline said the Premier League had accused City of inflating sponsorship income from linked firms and making off-the-books payments; this remains an accusation.
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  Ghanaian Times said Mr Soriano declined to speak to reporters about the finding, and MyJoyOnline said he left the meeting without taking media questions. The Premier League declined to comment, according to MyJoyOnline.

Why it matters for Ghana

Manchester City is one of the most-followed clubs among Ghanaian football fans, and the outcome will shape how supporters in Accra, Kumasi and elsewhere see the fairness of English league competition. A sporting penalty could change the title and European qualification picture in a league that many Ghanaians watch weekly. The long timescale Mr Soriano described also means the matter is unlikely to be settled soon.