Kieran Maguire: New Liverpool owners to revive Man City FFP probe – ‘there’s no love lost here’
The new owners of both Liverpool and Man United are likely to revive the Premier League’s probe into Man City’s Financial Fair Play conduct.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about how regime change at Liverpool and United could breathe new life into the stagnant investigation.
City successfully overturned a two-year ban from the Champions League at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2020 because allegations against them were time-barred.
But the Premier League’s investigation into the eight-time English champions, which is thought to be similar in substance to Uefa’s inquiry, is still active.
The Daily Mail reported last Monday (23 January) that there is a risk of the case rumbling on for so long that United and Liverpool, its main drivers, will have new owners before its conclusion.
But Maguire insists that the successors of both the Glazers and Fenway Sports Group will be just as keen to see City punished for what they believe to be a breach of the Premier League’s spending rules.
“The Premier League sees itself as an independent body of individual clubs and owners,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“It is, therefore, likely to rebuff any encouragement by potential new owners into City’d FFP conduct. The Premier League doesn’t want to be seen as having favourites.
“There is no doubt that the Glazers and FSG will have tried to pressure the Premier League. Eight clubs applauded the decision after the Uefa ban a few years ago.
“There is no love lost there and that is unlikely to change post-takeover.
“The Premier League needs to get this right because they only have one chance But City’s lawyers have been robust in their defence to date, leaving us at an effective en passe.“
In other news, pundit tips Erling Haaland for £176m exit as Man City release clause details emerge.