Bloomberg: Man City Held Secret Settlement Talks With Premier League Before Guilty Verdict

Manchester City held early-stage settlement discussions with the Premier League over its long-running financial charges before an independent commission found the club guilty, Bloomberg reported on Friday evening. According to the report, the talks centered on City paying a sizeable financial payment in exchange for avoiding sporting sanctions such as relegation, points deductions or the stripping of titles. The discussions are said to have broken down quickly because City continued to maintain its innocence throughout. The commission found City guilty on 114 of 115 financial charges covering the 2009–2018 period, ruling that the club had inflated its revenue by more than £900 million ($1.1 billion). City lodged its appeal on October 2, with the appeal verdict expected by early February. Both the club and the league declined to comment on the report. The revelation arrives at a tense moment. Rival clubs including Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham opposed any settlement and have served notice of compensation claims that could reach roughly £1 billion. With Liverpool hosting City at Anfield on Sunday evening, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola called for a swift resolution to a saga that continues to overshadow the title race.