Wayne Veysey

Fri 22 March 2024 12:00, UK

Former Everton chief Keith Wyness has insisted expulsion from the Premier League “has to be an option” if Man City are found guilty of significant financial breaches.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – cited the demotion of Rangers to the Scottish Third Division in 2012 after tax issues.

Last year, Man City were charged by the Premier League with 115 financial breaches spanning nine seasons – but a hearing is yet to be held.

Premier League CEO Richard Masters has confirmed a date has been set for an independent commission to examine the Citizens’ case – which is believed to be in 2025.

Expulsion from the top flight has been cited as potential punishment in official correspondence as recently as Monday (18 March) in the 52-page reasonings for Nottingham Forest’s four-point Financial Fair Play deduction.

Man City expulsion would cause ‘earthquake’, says Wyness

City have rigorously denied the charges since they were announced and have assembled a large legal team to fight the case.

Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “We saw it with Rangers with their employee benefit problem and the tax situation.

“That was expulsion, and they ended up going down a few leagues.

“The way it would kick off with Man City would be incredible, we know that. It would be an earthquake.

“But it has to be an option.

“The Premier League have backed themselves into a corner by giving Everton a ten-point penalty, which is greater than the punishment for going into administration.

“Where do you go with something bigger than that? They’ve left themselves with no room for manoeuvre.”

In other news, Man City reach full agreement over summer winger deal.

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