Everton faced a 10-point deduction by the Premier League after being found guilty of breaching Financial Fair Play regulations. Should the penalty hold, Sean Dyche’s team, intending to appeal, would drop from their current fourteenth position in the standings to nineteenth.
Manchester City, previously under scrutiny with 115 allegations in February, is currently in the spotlight. Despite being in a title race against teams like Liverpool and Arsenal, City strongly denied the accusations and expressed cooperation with the investigation.
City’s financial dealings have drawn attention previously. In 2020, UEFA found that Pep Guardiola’s team violated FFP regulations, resulting in a two-year ban from European football, later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The CAS reduced the club’s fine from €30 million (£26 million) to €10 million (£9 million).
Notably, Kevin De Bruyne, a key player for City, acknowledged that a ban from European football would impact his future at the Etihad Stadium before the suspension was lifted. De Bruyne, speaking to the Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, expressed a cautious approach, stating, “I’m waiting.”
“The club assured us they will appeal, and they are confident of success. I’ll wait to see the outcome as a result. I trust my team. After the decision, I will consider my options. Although two years might be lengthy, I could see changes within a year.”
De Bruyne’s past statements underline that not all players would necessarily stay in such circumstances, particularly if they faced relegation, as financial expert Stefan Borson suggested. If City is found guilty, they could potentially face a considerable point deduction. Borson, a lawyer who previously advised City, mentioned on social media, “It seems unfair to give Everton ten points for a simple FFP violation without examining the verdict or rationale.”
“However, this emphasizes that penalties against City (if proven) and potentially Chelsea (if charged and found guilty of off-the-books payments) could potentially lead to relegation.”
