Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has reportedly told the European Football Clubs (EFC) board that the club will do everything possible to clear its name as its long-running Premier League financial case enters another dramatic chapter. According to a source familiar with Monday’s discussions in Copenhagen, Soriano warned that the process could take years to reach its final destination — apparently giving football another reminder that some football cases move at a pace even VAR might consider excessive.
Manchester City Says the Fight Is Not Over
Soriano, who is himself a member of the EFC board, reportedly declined to comment publicly on reports that Manchester City had been found guilty of 114 of the 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules. City have consistently denied wrongdoing and are expected to appeal, while the club has stressed that significant elements of the Premier League process remain incomplete and confidential.
The allegations date back to conduct said to cover the 2009–10 to 2017–18 period and were formally referred to an independent commission in February 2023. The hearing concluded in December 2024 after a lengthy examination of the allegations, but the reported findings have emerged without the full decision being publicly released. In other words, football has reached the stage where everybody appears to know the score, while the official scoreboard is still covered.
Copenhagen Meeting Puts Football Governance Under the Spotlight
The timing could hardly be more dramatic. The EFC General Assembly is taking place in Copenhagen from September 28 to 30, bringing together leaders from Europe’s club game to discuss major issues including financial sustainability and the future direction of football. EFC says its membership represents more than 800 clubs, making the gathering a significant forum for European football.
The Manchester City case therefore arrives alongside a much wider argument about football governance, regulation and who should have the strongest voice in the game. EFC chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin are among the major figures involved in the Copenhagen discussions, while FIFA’s wider governance debate has also intensified following controversy surrounding a proposed private investment arrangement. For Manchester City, the financial case adds an especially awkward domestic example to an already crowded conversation about regulation and accountability.
For now, no sanction has been announced, and Manchester City continue to maintain their position while preparing for the next stage. Soriano’s reported message that the club intends to clear its name suggests that the Etihad’s legal battle is nowhere near its final whistle — meaning supporters, rivals and football administrators may need considerably more patience before this extraordinary process finally produces its complete outcome. OGM News FC will continue to watch the developing story as Manchester City’s appeal, the eventual sanction and the wider governance debate unfold
