Stefan Borson reveals how Man City will be impacted by audit regulator investigation

Manchester City's legal battle with the Premier League will not be impacted by a new investigation from the UK audit regulator.

That is according to former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider that only individuals at the club are likely to be affected.

The UK audit regulator has confirmed that it will be leading enquiries into accounting irregularities at the Etihad Stadium after the Citizens were found guilty on 114 charges.

Man City's owners, unsurprisingly, have appealed against the independent panel's decision after the Premier League's lengthy investigation.

Potential punishments are tipped to range from the stripping of titles to relegation, even to expulsion from the football pyramid altogether.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) confirmed in a letter to the House of Commons that, while no formal investigation has started, enquiries are being made.

Man City won't be subject to another investigation

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson has quickly shut down any ideas that this could impact Man City at club-level, with just individuals impacted.

"It won't be Man City themselves that are subject to the investigation. The way the FRC works is it's the regulator for financial reporting and, therefore, also for accountancy professionals," he said.

"It will not investigate Manchester City as an entity; it has no power to do so. But it will look at the individuals who have been involved.

"So that will be senior people, most likely senior people, but it can also be more junior at the audit firm to the extent that they were involved in something around the audit that was wrongdoing."

"So there may well be individual members of Manchester City's finance team who are regulated accountants. They may be subject to the FRC's investigation."

When could Man City learn the outcome of their appeal?

The investigation has been going on for such a long time, so long that even Man City supporters just want to know the club's long-term fate.

Football Insider understands that the outcome of the decision will land in February or March, giving the club plenty of time to adjust to the punishment.

An agreement still needs to be reached on what that punishment will be as well, and the difference in potential outcomes is rather drastic.

Until then, a huge black cloud will continue to hang over the Etihad Stadium, with fans wondering if all the performances will be rendered meaningless.