A way out of relegation? Manchester City's secret deal with the Premier League collapses
Manchester City had a chance to soften their potential punishment, but negotiations with the Premier League ended without an agreement.
Details: According to Bloomberg, Manchester City held secret, early-stage settlement talks with the Premier League before an independent commission delivered its verdict in the club's financial misconduct case. The discussions could have significantly reduced the severity of the sanctions facing the English giants. However, the negotiations quickly collapsed because City continued to insist on their innocence.
The proposed agreement reportedly centered on a substantial financial payment instead of the most severe sporting punishments, including potential relegation from the Premier League and the stripping of previously won titles.
Sources familiar with the negotiations revealed that the discussions took place before the independent commission announced its findings. Despite the possibility of avoiding drastic consequences, Manchester City maintained their position that they had committed no wrongdoing.
The club has since appealed the commission's verdict, arguing that the ruling contains serious errors of law and fact. The final punishment remains undecided, with possible sanctions ranging from financial penalties and points deductions to much more severe measures.
It's worth noting that the Premier League's case concerned financial irregularities between 2009 and 2018. An independent commission upheld 114 of the 115 charges against Manchester City, although the club continues to deny wrongdoing and is challenging the verdict.
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Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
