Manchester City's financial case has drawn attention to the timing of the independent commission's findings and the club's summer transfer activity.
ESPN, citing sources, reports that City executives were informed of the findings before the window closed, during a summer in which the club completed more than £450m worth of signings. Neither City nor the Premier League has publicly confirmed the outcome.
When Did Manchester City Learn of the Guilty Verdict?
City club executives were made aware of the panel's findings in July. The findings became public when The Athletic reported that City had been found guilty on 114 of the 115 charges brought against them in February 2023.
The Premier League declined to comment, describing the case to ESPN as a “private and confidential process”. The Elliot Anderson deal is the only signing ESPN's sources place before that point.
City reportedly agreed the deal before the club knew the panel had reached a decision. Sky Sports reported in late June that City had agreed a £116m fee with Nottingham Forest for the midfielder.
The club announced the agreement in early July, while Anderson was with England at the World Cup. He was the first signing under Enzo Maresca, who had just been confirmed as Pep Guardiola's replacement. The remaining signings followed later in the window.
Enzo Fernández and Iliman Ndiaye both joined on the final day, 1 September. No report has alleged that City broke any rule by signing players after the findings reached the club.
How Much Did Manchester City Spend in the 2026 Summer Window?
ESPN puts the cost of City's seven senior signings at more than £450m. Other published estimates put City's spending between £442m and £458m.
Two of the fees broke City's previous transfer record. Anderson's £116m move came first, before Fernández joined from Chelsea for £125m. ESPN reported that the fee matched the British record Liverpool paid Newcastle United for Alexander Isak.
Fernández signed a five-year contract.
Ayyoub Bouaddi arrived from Lille for a reported £86m. Ndiaye cost an initial £60m from Everton, rising to £65m with add-ons. Allan joined from Palmeiras, Jeremy Monga from Leicester City and goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli from Marseille.
City recorded £283m in reported sales, according to PSRwatch, leaving a net spend of £159m. That was the fourth-highest net spend among Premier League clubs in the window.
What Happens Next in the Manchester City Premier League Case?
No sanction has been imposed. The Premier League's handbook allows penalties ranging from a fine to a points deduction or expulsion, CNN reported. City are expected to appeal.
City's only statement on the reports said the process is "ongoing" and that the club's position remains unchanged from February 2023, when it first denied the charges. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak told supporters in an open letter that "nothing has changed".
Club sources told ESPN that City intend to appeal if the commission finds against them.
The charges cover the period from 2009 to 2018. They include failing to provide accurate financial information and full details of player and manager pay, breaching UEFA and Premier League financial rules, and failing to cooperate with the league's investigation.
Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur lodged notices reserving the right to seek compensation for lost income if City were found guilty. ESPN's sources say other clubs are now taking legal advice.
The exact date in July, who at City received the findings and whether the club will address the timing publicly remain unclear.
