Man City FFP: Premier League ‘titles being stripped’ is ‘on the table’ amid Guardiola exit links

“Everything is on the table” as Man City face allegations of 115 breaches of the Premier League’s financial fair play rules, according to a football finance expert.

Man City won a fourth consecutive Premier League title last season as they pipped Arsenal to the championship on the final day of the 2023/24 campaign , and is their second title since 115 charges were laid against them by the Premier League in February last year.

Asked whether a second Man City success while the charges remained outstanding would damage European league football, Premier League CEO Richard Masters said in April: “It’s not for the football authorities to start being selective about who they would like to win the league.

“The key point is that you’ve got that jeopardy until the final day. Who knows where we will be on May 19?”

Masters, speaking at the European Leagues general assembly, added: “Obviously we can’t comment on the case, the date has been set and the case will resolve itself at some point in the near future, and I cannot make any further comment on it.”

An independent commission is set to hear the case later this year. Given the extent of the charges, a decision in the case may not come until next year.

Man City said at the time the charges were laid that they welcomed a review of this matter by an independent commission “to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of our position”.

The club added: “As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”

There have been a number of potential punishments discussed if Man City are found guilty of breaching the rules with one sports lawyer insisting “expulsion” would not “be just hyperbole”,

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An unnamed sports lawyer told The Athletic in May : “You would have to think that the penalty would be absolutely huge. Expulsion from the Premier League wouldn’t be just hyperbole. It would be a realistic outcome if they were found guilty of the charges.

“If, on the other hand, some of the charges like those involving Mancini aren’t as clear-cut as people think and we’re talking about multiple PSR breaches, you might be looking at a 30-point deduction.

“There are probably four outcomes; they’re acquitted, there’s a huge fine and small points deduction, there’s a huge points deduction or they’re kicked out of the league. But we just don’t know without seeing the in-depth evidence. And just because someone has been charged 115 times, it doesn’t mean they’re guilty.”

Could Man City be stripped of previous Premier League titles?

And now Football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley insists that Man City could conceivably have some of their previous titles “stripped” away from them.

Sheffield Hallam University’s Plumley told instantcasinos.com : “I genuinely think everything is on the table for Manchester City and their case in terms of the final verdict delivered on a punishment.

“Whether that’s previous titles being stripped or points deductions, we have to see which way it falls as we have nothing to compare to a case of this magnitude.

“This case should be viewed in isolation as we haven’t seen the scale of an infringement like this before. It’s difficult to make a prediction for what’s going to happen because of this, but certainly everything is on the table.

“We shouldn’t be comparing financial cases that have gone before in football with Man City’s current case. This is 115 charges dialling back several years, so we can’t look at Everton or Nottingham Forest’s recent cases in comparison to deliver a benchmark for a punishment.”

Pep Guardiola might not be around when Man City find out the outcome of their charges with the Catalan having one year left on his deal at the club and being heavily linked with the England job .