Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has called for the Premier League to have more ‘sensible’ financial regulations and admitted his frustration over the delay in the club’s case against the top flight after they were hit with 115 charges.
City, fresh from winning a fourth successive Premier League title, are still awaiting an outcome after allegedly breaching financial rules – allegations which are strongly denied by the club – with a hearing set for November.
If City were to be found guilty following that hearing, which is expected to last six weeks, they could face heavy fines and even the possibility of expulsion from the Premier League.
The club say the league’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules are unlawful and are seeking to have them thrown out. They are also claiming damages which some believe could run to tens of millions.
Khaldoon Al Mubarak (right) insists Man City must be ‘judged by the facts and not by claims’
The Man City chairman (centre) and his side are awaiting the outcome for 115 charges of allegedly breaching financial rules
Under APT, introduced following the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle in 2021, clubs are stopped from inflating sponsorship deals with firms who are linked to their owners. Instead, all deals have to be independently deemed as of ‘fair market value’ (FMV).
‘I think the Premier League got to where it is today by being the most competitive league,’ Al Mubarak said, in an interview conducted before news of City suing the competition emerged.
‘So, I hope there is a bit more sensibility in regulating. Always a balanced approach is good from all the leagues, be it in England or the rest of Europe.
‘I think you won’t see the same level as we’ve seen in the last years, because of the levels of regulations that have come into place over the last 12 months.’
Al Mubarak also revealed he was frustrated with how long it is taking for City to have the chance to prove their innocence, and wants their achievements on the pitch to focus on ‘facts’ rather than ‘claims’.
‘Of course, it’s frustrating,’ he said.
‘I think the referencing [of the alleged charges] is always frustrating. Having it being talked about the way it’s being talked about.
‘I can feel for our fanbase, and everyone associated with the club, to have these charges constantly referenced.
‘I think we as a club have to respect that there is a process that we have to go through, and we’re going through it.
‘It’s taking longer than what anyone hoped for, but it is what it is, and I’ve always repeated, let’s be judged by the facts, and not by claims and counterclaims.’
Should the 2022-23 treble winners be found guilty of those breaches, they could face fines and even expulsion from the Premier League
| Type of breach | Number of charges relating to breach | Date of trial | Date of decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information from 2009-10 to 2017-18 | 54 | ||
| Failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation from 2009-10 to 2017-18 | 14 | ||
| Failure to comply with UEFA’s regulations, including UEFA’s Club and Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations | 5 | Autumn 2024 | Summer 2025 |
| Breaches of Premier League profitability and sustainability regulations from 2015-16 to and including 2017-18 season | 7 | ||
| Failure to cooperate with Premier League investigations from December 2018-present | 35 |
Al Mubarak (right) was speaking just days before City declared war on the Premier League
City say the league’s Associated Party Transaction rules are unlawful and want them thrown out
Al Mubarak was speaking days before City declared war on the Premier League – suing the competition over new financial rules in an unprecedented move.
Furious bosses at City filed a 165-page legal document claiming they are the victims of ‘discrimination’ and that regulations approved by rivals they feel are aimed at curtailing their success are the ‘tyranny of the majority’.
Al Mubarak’s frustrations continue in the transfer market, too, with rules around loans and swap deals a bug-bear.
‘There’s also been a lot of restrictions now put in place on swaps and loans, so even that is now much more restricted,’ he said.
‘So, I think the level of manoeuvrability that was in place before that allowed teams to do what they were able to do in the past, I think, is much more restricted this year and that’s going to be reflected, I believe, this summer.’
