(Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)

Stefan Borson

Sun 6 April 2025 10:32, UK

Manchester City’s 115 charges case could have a seismic impact on the Premier League once the verdict is delivered. 

The English champions were dealt the charges by the Premier League in February 2023 for allegedly breaching the financial fair play (FFP) rules over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018.

They are alleged to have concealed payments through third parties by disguising them as sponsorship revenue, with the independent panel now considering its verdict after the hearing took place between September and December last year.

The Premier League’s accounts for 2023-24 have revealed its administrative expenses increased from £123.7million in 2022-23 to £200.2million last season.

Everton and Nottingham Forest were deducted points in 2023-24 after they were found to have breached the profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider more than £100million of the Premier League’s expenses last season were likely spent on legal fees.

He insisted that figure could be set to rise again in 2024-25 due to the Premier League’s ongoing legal battles.

Man City challenged the Premier League’s sponsorship rules in a hearing last June, with the associated party transaction (APT) rules in force between 2021 and 2024 later deemed “void and unenforceable” by the tribunal overseeing the case. 

The Premier League voted through amendments to the APT rules last November that still stand, but they are also the subject of a legal challenge from Man City, further adding to the league’s hefty legal bill. 

Premier League face ‘enormous’ hit after Man City legal action

Borson insisted the Premier League has spent an “enormous” amount on legal fees over the past couple of seasons.

He told Football Insider: “It’s pretty scary numbers really when you look at it because I would think there was in excess of £100million of external legal spend by the Premier League.

“If it’s £200million on the administrative costs because, if you look at the historic pattern and what was spent historically, it’s hard to see how that could have been less than £100million just on the legal side.

“Now, if you break down 2024-25 and compare it to what was going on last year, last year may have had a lot of the preparation for a lot of the stuff that’s happened this year, so that may well have an impact. But generally, there’s just an enormous amount of stuff that’s gone on this year since 31 July.

“You have had City’s 115 charges case actually start and happen over three months. That would have been extraordinarily expensive because they had a team of about eight barristers as well as the firm acting for them.

“They had the associated party transaction saga. The actual hearing took place in June, so far that’s in last year, but then they have APT 2 up and running. It will happen sometime before July.

“They had the reaction to APT 1, so dealing with all of the fallout from it. We had the changes of all the drafting. You have got this whole new regime of PSR that they’re trying to bring in.

“Then you’ve got PSR cases, or investigations anyway. You had the Everton case that was dropped in January. We know the Chelsea investigation so far.

“There are loads of things going on on this side of things, so there is a very good chance that it’s going to be even more expensive next year.” 

Bernardo Silva wants to agree Man City exit

Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider Bernardo Silva wants to leave Man City in the summer transfer window.

Man City are braced for offers for Silva, who is attracting interest from several Spanish, Portuguese and Saudi clubs. 

It is believed the 30-year-old feels his career at the Etihad has come to an end after winning everything in England, with an exit now potentially on the cards.

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