Rival clubs seek Manchester City sanctions before season ends

Senior football figures want Manchester City's financial-rules case resolved before the end of the season, according to BBC Sport, while The Guardian reports that rival clubs are pressing for a punishment more severe than a single season outside the Premier League. No final sanction has been announced, and City continue to deny wrongdoing as they prepare an appeal.

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BBC Sport reported that the Premier League announced on Tuesday that City had been found guilty of financial-regulation breaches covering the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons. The findings included artificially inflating revenue by more than £900 million through sponsorship arrangements. City have indicated that they intend to lodge their appeal by the end of this week.

Officials speaking anonymously to BBC Sport said they believed the proceedings could be completed this season, although they stressed the importance of handling the process correctly. The broadcaster reported concern about uncertainty if City reached the end of the campaign without a punishment being settled, particularly if they won the title. Those views do not establish a binding timetable for the case.

According to The Guardian, executives at several Premier League clubs regard relegation to the Championship for one season as insufficient given the commission's findings. Rival clubs have no role in deciding the sanction. The Premier League can argue for a particular penalty, City can present their response, and the independent commission will determine the outcome. Available measures include points deductions, transfer embargoes and expulsion.

The Guardian reported that new league rules require the appeal hearing to finish within 12 weeks of Friday's submission deadline, followed by up to 30 days for a judgment. That would point to a decision by the end of January, but the timetable remains subject to uncertainty: City could argue that recently introduced deadlines should not apply to historic charges.

A sanctions hearing could run alongside the appeal proceedings, The Guardian reported, although that arrangement has not been confirmed and any sanction would remain unpublished until the appeal outcome. City could also appeal the punishment itself. The immediate next step is therefore the club's expected appeal, rather than a confirmed relegation or points deduction.