Revealed: Man City's four Premier League rivals who will demand compensation over 115 alleged breaches of financial fair play rules

According to The Times, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur have initiated arbitration procedures to preserve their right to compensation if the reigning Premier League champions are proven guilty. The ongoing case is being handled by an independent regulatory commission, with a decision not expected until next year.

The report mentions that the timing of the claims by the four clubs remains crucial. Due to concerns that waiting for the verdict might make it too late for compensation, these clubs have decided to act now. Legal experts reportedly advised that the clubs could be impacted by the six-year limitation period for filing claims, sparking their swift response last week. This deadline corresponds with the 2018 Football Leaks report by Der Spiegel, which revealed alleged financial misconduct by City. If the rule violations are confirmed, these rival clubs are expected to seek compensation, claiming losses for missed title wins, Champions League qualifications, and other revenue-related impacts that could amount to hundreds of millions of pounds.

Premier League regulations prevent member clubs from suing each other in court directly, but arbitration offers a viable route. Under Rule X, clubs can resolve disputes like this outside court. This approach isn’t unprecedented: last season, five clubs – Leeds United, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Burnley, and Southampton – pursued compensation claims after Everton’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules violation. However, these claims are either unresolved or have since been retracted.

Interestingly, Chelsea have opted not to pursue any compensation claim against City, largely due to their own ongoing FFP investigation, which involves alleged financial irregularities dating back to the Roman Abramovich era. After new ownership under Todd Boehly and the Clearlake consortium assumed control in 2022, Chelsea self-reported certain payments to both the Premier League and UEFA. This transparency has triggered an investigation covering alleged payments between 2012 and 2019, connected to major transfers involving players like Willian, Samuel Eto’o, and Eden Hazard. As the investigation into Chelsea’s case only surfaced in 2023, other clubs have until 2029 to pursue related compensation claims if desired.