ESPN: Man City knew about the Premier League's decision last summer

2026-09-30 10:13 © Alamy

Last Friday, English and European football was shaken by the news of the completion of the investigation into the financial violations of the Manchester City club from 2009 to 2018.

An independent commission found the Manchester City club guilty of all charges related to serious violations of the English Premier League's financial rules over nine seasons.

Manchester City, along with several of its commercial partners, entered into fictitious contracts that did not reflect the true agreements of the parties, and also used other fictitious agreements to artificially inflate the club's revenue and reduce costs.

The club provided misleading financial statements and concealed its true financial situation from auditors and football governing bodies.

Manchester City significantly exceeded both the Premier League and UEFA's stipulated spending limits.

During the Premier League investigation, the club also repeatedly violated its obligation to cooperate and act in good faith towards the league," the Premier League stated in its report.

However, it seems that the club was aware of the upcoming decision much earlier, ESPN reports.

It is reported that the Manchester club learned of the unfavorable decision against them as early as July. Despite this, City continued to spend impressive amounts in the transfer market.

Recall that last summer Manchester City twice broke its transfer records: first acquiring Elliot Anderson for £116 million, and just before the window closed, signing Enzo Fernández from Chelsea for £125 million.