Sources: Man City to learn appeal verdict earlier than expected in new twist
Manchester City are set to learn the verdict of their Premier League appeal before the turn of the year, sources have told Football Insider.
On Friday, three days following the Premier League's confirmation that City had been found guilty of all charges, the club confirmed they had lodged an appeal against the decision.
This has led to further speculation about when the appeal will take place, how long it could last, and whether we could see any final decision delayed years into the future.
However, as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, a verdict should arrive within 12 weeks and it could be finalised before Christmas Day, earlier than many expected.
That is despite a claim from leading Sports Law barrister Paul Gilroy KC that a decision may not even be made inside "the next five seasons" due to the complicated nature of the issue.
There have also been suggestions that "messy" legal proceedings could complicate the process, including threats from Etihad and other involved parties, leading to fears of new delays.
Will Man City's appeal be a success?
Football Insider revealed on 29 September that Man City are confident that they will be successful in their appeal against the Premier League's verdict on their charges.
The club have maintained their innocence throughout, and have continued to claim they have "a comprehensive bosy of irrefutable evidence" in their favour.
Doubts over the decision and potential outcome of any appeal will be further complicated during the process, but there is a belief they want it wrapped up as soon as possible.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "What will it be? Will it be a fine? Will it be a points deduction? Will it be expulsion from the Premier League?
"Obviously, Man City have maintained their innocence, and they did lodge an appeal against the verdict before Friday's deadline.
"That means that the appeal should now have to be concluded within 12 weeks of the submission, so we expect that to be completed by Christmas.
"After that, there will be a seperate diciplinary hearing to decide the sanctions after the verdict of the appeal, so look, there is still a long way to go in this one.
"The Man City Chief Executive, Ferran Soriano, suggested that the case will run for a long time as well with City maintaining their innocence and trying to push the blame back on the Premier League.
"It's a messy situation, and it's probably only going to get messier with litigation and now with talk of Etihad potentially suing the Premier League and everything else.
"Still, as it stands right now, City maintain their innocence and we'll wait for that appeal process to be exhausted, and then after that we'll know if there's going to be any sanctions."
Man City could embarrass the Premier League
Against a backdrop of the ongoing speculation about the outcome of their potential appeal and potential sanctions, Man City are continuing to do what they do best on the pitch.
Enzo Maresca's side have enjoyed a strong start to the season with five wins from five Premier League games so far, putting them top of the league as things stand.
Football Insider warned on 3 October that Man City could embarrass the Premier League if they win the competition before any formal sanctions are given against them.
If the appeal process drags on beyond the end of the season, as has been suggested elsewhere, there is an opportunity for the club to make a mockery of the situation.
There have been suggestions of points deductions, hefty fines, transfer bans, immediate relegation, and potentially stripping the club's trophies, but they may not arrive swiftly enough.