Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has warned that the club’s dispute with the Premier League could continue for several more years as the club prepares to challenge findings against it.
The Premier League’s independent commission ruled against Manchester City on 114 of the 115 charges brought in the long-running case. The next stage will focus on determining what punishment, if any, should be imposed on the club.
Speaking at a European Football Clubs board meeting in Copenhagen, Soriano reportedly told fellow football executives that Manchester City strongly disagrees with the commission’s conclusions and intends to pursue available avenues of appeal.
According to The Times, Soriano indicated that the legal process has already taken eight years and could continue for considerably longer as the club seeks to overturn the findings.
A sanctions hearing is expected to take place in the coming weeks. Possible penalties reportedly include a points deduction, financial fine or transfer restrictions, while the most severe option could involve expulsion from the Premier League.
Any punishment imposed could itself become the subject of another legal challenge by Manchester City, potentially extending the dispute even further.
The club is also expected to examine previous cases involving other Premier League teams as part of its defence during the next stages of the process.