It’s currently the shadow that looms large over Premier League football.
Man City, the reigning champions and title winners in five of the last six English top flight seasons, face 115 alleged breaches of Premier League spending rules.
The case is to be heard by an independent commission later this year and with City also in a fight with the Premier League over associated party transaction rules, with relation to sponsorship deals, a number of clubs will be monitoring developments closely.
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Not least Everton and Liverpool, who both have reasons to be interested in the outcome of the Man City case.
Indeed, Everton have suffered two separate points deductions due to the breaking of PSR rules (profit and sustainability regulations) and after being hit with points deductions totalling eight last term, the Blues will be interested to see what punishment is handed down to City if found guilty.
Meanwhile, Liverpool went toe-to-toe with City in recent years, missing out on league titles in 2014, 2019 and 2022 by close margins and owners FSG have been clear in their ambition to see stringent spending rules within English football.
And yet it appears as though the 115 charges may actually be 130, if calculations by financial expert and former City advisor Stefan Borson are correct.
Speaking on the We’re Not Really Here – A Manchester City Podcast on the BBC, Borson claimed it is actually 130 charges, and that the 115 number came from “incorrect” Premier League briefings.
“115 is actually, straightaway, is 130. But because of an early error from the Premier League and early media briefings it became 115. It’s the most serious allegations,” he explained.
And last year he wrote on Twitter, accompanied by a graphic detailing the charges: “Pedantic point (not for everyone): “The fact that ‘115 CHARGES’ is trumpeted means it likely came from the PL’s media briefing. Because it isn’t 115 on any normal counting… it is 129 or 130 (technical 2009/10 point).”
The Premier League were contacted by the ECHO for comment.