'Certainly a possibility' - Erling Haaland & Man City stars could leave for FREE as legal expert explains how players can terminate contracts after guilty verdict

Manchester City’s recent guilty verdict in their high-profile financial dispute with the Premier League has triggered intense speculation regarding the futures of their elite squad. An independent commission found the Etihad giants guilty of 114 out of 115 charges, citing multiple breaches including the arrangement of 'sham' contracts with commercial partners between 2009 and 2018.

The fallout from this landmark ruling has immediately cast doubt over the long-term commitments of key players. With the club currently maintaining their innocence and preparing to launch an appeal, the uncertainty has opened the door to unprecedented scenarios. Most notably, top legal voices are weighing in on whether stars such as Haaland could exploit employment law to secure an abrupt, cost-free exit from the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, leading sports barrister Paul Gilroy KC addressed the legal ramifications for City's squad. When asked by Arsenal legend Ian Wright if players unaware of boardroom activities had a case to leave, Gilroy provided a stark assessment of employment rights.

"Definitely, yes, good question, that, on the players' perspective," Gilroy explained. "Every contract of employment, whether it's a footballer or someone who works in a shop, has got an implied term in it. In other words, it's not written down. And the implied term we're talking about here is the term of trust and confidence.

"So if I work for you, you and I must have sufficient trust and confidence in each other to enable that relationship to work. If you don't trust me, or I don't trust you, or if you call me a liar and a thief on Tuesday, I can't work for you on a Wednesday - trust and confidence.

"Now, a player could say 'You have breached the implied term of trust and confidence. You are my employer, you have acted in breach of that term, and that entitles me to say I'm ripping up my contract and I'm walking out'."

The prospect of acquiring world-class talent without paying extortionate transfer fees naturally prompted humorous, yet telling, reactions from the podcast hosts. Jamie Carragher cheekily asked if Liverpool could sign Haaland for free next week, to which Gilroy simply replied: "Yeah, why not?".

Wright also joined in on the hypotheticals, joking that the Norwegian hitman might prefer a move to North London. "He might want to come to Arsenal, just because of his mates there," Wright quipped. While said in jest, the exchange highlights the monumental shift in the transfer market that would occur if City's players were legally permitted to void their deals.

All eyes are now firmly fixed on City’s impending appeal against the independent commission’s findings. The club have a Friday deadline to formally challenge the guilty verdict, and the outcome of this legal battle will ultimately dictate the severity of any sporting sanctions.

For Enzo Maresca and his squad, the immediate focus must remain on their on-pitch duties amid an unprecedented off-field storm. However, until a final resolution is reached, the shadow of potential contract terminations will continue to loom large over the blue half of Manchester.