Man City in danger of getting even more charges as Premier League face dilemma

Premier League executives are pushing for Man City to face fresh charges for seasons after 2018, citing concerns that inflated sponsorship deals may have continued beyond the nine-year period already under investigation.

Manchester City face the prospect of additional charges beyond the 114 they were found guilty of in September, relating to financial rule breaches from 2009 to 2018. Multiple Premier League executives are now pushing for an investigation into the club's conduct in seasons after 2018, according to The Independent.

The Independent Commission's verdict established that City and its Abu Dhabi-based sponsors were 'Related Parties', with sponsorship deals inflated by disguised owner investment. Executives have questioned whether this practice simply stopped in 2018, particularly given that commercial income remained at similar levels. A source asked: "What changed overnight?"

If the relationships between City and their sponsors did not change after 2018, this could form the basis for further charges in subsequent seasons. However, investigators face challenges: the original 114 charges were built on evidence from leaked emails published by Der Spiegel in November 2018. Without similar documentary evidence for the post-2018 period, launching a fresh investigation could prove difficult. City has repeatedly insisted they possess 'irrefutable evidence' in their defence, including bank statements and receipts from the Abu Dhabi government proving they funded the sponsorship deals.