Premier League clubs 'can seek compensation' if Man City are found guilty of 115 breaches of financial rules

A hearing has started into City's alleged rules breaches and a verdict is expected in early 2025. Some Premier League clubs have taken action ahead of the verdict, after advice from lawyers, and have "reserved the right to seek compensation against Manchester City," according toThe Times. This means that if Manchester City are found guilty, the clubs will be able to take action against Pep Guardiola's side "for loss of income for missing out on the league title or European competitions".

Club will also be able to claim over several seasons, meaning City could end up facing a huge bill - potentially hundreds of millions of pounds - along with whatever punishment is handed down to the club from their FFP case. A host of sanctions have also been mooted including points deductions, fines and even possible expulsion from the Premier League.

Clubs were advised to reserve the right to seek compensation now as lawyers believe if they had waited for the verdict there is a risk that claims could be deemed out of time. This is due to The 1980 Limitation Act which has a six-year limit for legal claims for contract breaches in the UK. City's case dates back to 2018 when German website Der Spiegel first published the leaked documents.

Manchester City have always denied any wrongdoing and are expected to launch an appeal should a guilty verdict be returned, with fears the legal process could then drag on for years.