Potential Premier League “expulsion” is now “on the table” for Man City “for the first time” if they are found guilty of their 115 financial charges, former Everton CEO Keith Wyness has suggested.
Man City were charged in February with more than 100 breaches of the competition’s financial fair play regulations dating back to 2009.

Man City facing potential expulsion?

The club could face a points deduction or even expulsion from the competition if found guilty but Man City have vociferously denied any wrongdoing and vowed to fight their case. It is unclear how long this process will take with some suggestions that proceedings could run for several more years.
Man City went on to win the treble last season. They overhauled Arsenal to claim a fifth Premier League title in six years, followed up by winning the FA Cup and then beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
Off the field the club have also grown, recording record revenues last year.
To many critics of the club, which is supported by the vast wealth of owner Sheikh Mansour, the Premier League charges cast a shadow over their success.
READ MORE: Time to drop Harry Kane, and flag furore illustrates why England never win anything…
They have been under the spotlight more this season with Everton, and more recently Nottingham Forest, given points deductions for breaking FFP rules.
Related video: Guardiola's first Man City XI: where are they now? (Soccer Stories)

previous successes with his new club.

And former Everton CEO Wyness reckons the 52-page document detailing the findings and reasons for Nottingham Forest’s four-point deduction suggests that “expulsion” is a possibility for Man City if found guilty of their 115 charges.
Wyness told Football Insider: “For the first time, I’ve noticed the word expulsion cropping up in the report from Nottingham Forest’s hearing.
“City must be noticing that for the first time, as well.
“We don’t know yet, and they’ve got every right to plead the case, but expulsion does seem to be on the table given the severity of what’s supposed to have happened.
“We’re yet to see the evidence, though, and we need to get it going sooner rather than later.”

‘It makes the Premier League look a bit of a farce’

Football Insider‘s Pete O’Rourke added his views on the situation, he said on the Inside Track podcast: “The Premier League are saying [to me] that Man City’s charges are a lot more complex than [Everton’s and Nottingham Forest’s].
“It seems like Man City haven’t been as cooperative as these other two clubs which is maybe why it’s been dragged out. It’s the elephant in the room with the 115 charges that are hanging over them.

“It makes the Premier League look a bit of a farce and it’s a real mockery of the league that nothing’s been done to them while we’re seeing charges against Everton and Forest. It’s two for Everton and the one for Forest, but City have 115.
“Man City have been through it before with UEFA when it looked like they could get expelled from the Champions League for a few seasons. They fought that one and they’re fighting the Premier League ones too.
“For the good of the game, there needs to be some decisions made.”

Man City owners hatch new plan to combat threat of Premier League's 115 financial charges

A plan to float Etihad Airways on the stock exchange could be good news for Manchester City in their bid to beat the 115 Premier League charges hanging over the club.
The arrangements concerning City’s long-standing sponsorship deal with Etihad forms a significant part of the allegations made against the reigning champions. German publication Der Spiegel claims that the Emirati airline was paying just £8million of their official £67.5million obligation to City - and that the rest was met by disguised equity funding from the club’s Abu Dhabi owners.

That breaks financial regulations put into place by both the Premier League and UEFA - and would also be tantamount to a fraudulent conspiracy being hatched between City’s boardroom bosses and Etihad executives.
Reports in the Middle East have now revealed that the airline is being prepared for an Initial Public Offering. And that process would involve Etihad allowing full disclosure of their accounts.
Stock market insiders believe it’s unlikely that Etihad would be willing to grant unfettered access into their financial affairs and corporate practices if it would uncover a smoking gun to prove fraud had been committed.
“If it came to light that Etihad executives were indeed involved in manipulating the sponsorship deal with City, it could cause serious damage to the company’s reputation in the eyes of potential investors,” said a senior figure in the investment banking industry. Etihad would also have an obligation to disclose any ongoing investigation into the company’s accounts or conduct before the IPO was launched.
Related video: Guardiola's first Man City XI: where are they now? (Soccer Stories)

in 2016?

“What the Premier League are alleging is extremely serious, not just in terms of football’s rules and regulations. The accusation is that City executives have colluded with officials from Etihad and have lied not only to the club’s independent auditors but to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Pep Guardiola
© Getty Images
Will Manchester City win the Premier League this season? Share your predictions in the comments below
“By extension, that also calls into question what information was disclosed by City’s owners to Silverlake before the American private equity firm bought a significant stake in the club in 2019. That’s why the Premier League’s allegations go way beyond accusing City of failing to meet Profit and Sustainability Rules.”

CAS ruled that any suggestion of a conspiracy involving executives of both City and Etihad, as well as high-ranking Abu Dhabi officials and even members of the country’s royal family was beyond the realms of possibility almost four years ago when they overturned a two-year Champions League ban levied against the club by UEFA for failing to meet FFP regulations.
City owner Sheikh Mansour submitted a letter during proceedings to support their appeal. City also had a £25.75million fine overturned, although they were handed an £8.6million censure for failing to cooperate with UEFA’s investigation. Etihad, which is currently a state-owned airline, have sponsored City since the summer 2011 when an initial 10-year link-up was announced.
It has been mooted that the company could launch an IPO later this year - just as the three-man Independent Commission appointed by the Premier League to examine the charges levied against City is expected to make a judgement. The Premier League champions continue to maintain their innocence.

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Chelsea, Arsenal beaming as elite striker’s £86m clause slashed dramatically; bidding war fatal for rivals

Chelsea and Arsenal have received news of a much cheaper transfer for Viktor Gyokeres, whose base price is reportedly now half of his £86million release clause.
Gyokeres is one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe at the moment. He’s alongside the likes of Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney, but his goalscoring tally is higher than that of the other pair.
Indeed, in the Portuguese top flight, the Swede has banged in 22 goals, and has added another 14 in other competitions, as well as 14 assists in all football this season.
He also scored in his country’s last game, a 5-2 loss to Portugal.
Chelsea reportedly had scouts present at that game as they are hoping they might be able to lure Gyokeres onboard at the end of the season.
Arsenal are also in the mix in terms of Premier League outfits.
Mikel Arteta’s central strikers have largely failed to pull their weight, and the Spaniard is courting a top forward that can bang in the goals.
Both of those sides thought they would have to splash a big sum of £86million, which is Gyokeres’ release clause at Sporting CP.
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Sporting to slash Gyokeres asking price

However, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, they’ll only ask for around half of that, as bids could start from in the region of £43million.
That does not guarantee that bids will stay in that range, though.
Indeed, with a much more attainable starting price, a bidding war that could drive Gyokeres’ tag up could commence.
Related video: 10 Amazing Strikers Who Flopped In The Premier League (FourFourTwo)

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That could be an issue for AC Milan, who are said to have been monitoring the striker since before he moved to Sporting in the summer.
While they feel they have a good bargaining chip in that fellow Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in a position of power at Milan, a bidding war would be detrimental to their chances.

Chelsea, Arsenal well positioned in bidding war

With Chelsea and Arsenal ‘in the front row’ for Gyokeres, that could stay the same way if his price begins to rise.
That’s as Milan would find it ‘impossible to keep up’ with the English giants in a bidding war.
The Premier League sides will have more money to go towards the striker as a result of the higher finances in England.
As such, it will be interesting to see what happens once the bidding begins.
READ MORE: Five top-class strikers Arsenal could target this summer – from £17m to £100m superstars

Spurs boss ‘not ruled out’ as Man Utd line up nine candidates to replace Ten Hag after Southgate snub

M
an Utd are considering nine other candidates to replace Erik ten Hag in the summer, according to reports, including Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou.
The Red Devils had a positive first season under Ten Hag with the Dutchman leading them to an FA Cup final, Carabao Cup silverware and a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Erik ten Hag’s future is still unclear at Man Utd

However, things haven’t quite gone to plan this campaign though, with Man Utd finishing bottom of their Champions League group and struggling to find consistency in the Premier League.
Ten Hag has come under pressure over recent results and performances but his side’s 4-3 victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final last weekend has seen more favourable reports come out about his future.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is currently completing a strategic review into the club as he looks to overhaul the recruitment department and upgrade infrastructure after completing a deal to buy 27.7 per cent of the Premier League club last month.
Even if Ten Hag does stay next season, his role is set to be significantly reduced and there have even been reports that new Man Utd co-owner Ratcliffe has already ‘decided to fire’ him.
READ MORE: Marcus Rashford among Man Utd quartet in top 10 market value decreases this season
Related video: England manager Southgate dismisses disrespectful Man Utd links. (Sports AlDente)

Amid speculation linking him to Manchester United,

England boss Gareth Southgate, whose Three Lions contract runs out at the end of the year, has been heavily linked with Ten Hag’s job over the last couple of weeks.
But Southgate yesterday distanced himself from the reports and called claims he could replace Ten Hag as Man Utd manager as “disrespectful”.
“I’m the England manager, I have got one job basically. To try and deliver a European Championship. Clearly before that, we have two important games this week,” Southgate told a press conference.
“Secondly, Manchester United have a manager and I think it is completely disrespectful there is any speculation over a manager’s place.”
Southgate added: “My focus is the European Championship. If we did something, a contract before, everyone would be saying, ‘why are you signing a contract before the Euros?’
“I’m certainly not going to speak to anyone else before that, I never have, I have been here eight years in the job, I wouldn’t entertain speaking to anyone else while I’m in a job.”

A move for Ange Postecoglou has ‘not been ruled out’

And now ESPN insists that Graham Potter, Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Frank, Thomas Tuchel, Julen Lopetegui, Zinedine Zidane, Ruben Amorim and Julian Nagelsmann ‘have all been discussed internally as potential replacements’.
The report adds:

‘Sources have told ESPN that Ratcliffe is determined to be as ambitious as possible with his appointments to key positions and official approaches for candidates like Ange Postecoglou, who has been at Tottenham for less than a year, have not been ruled out.’

Liverpool sign Murillo as Elanga returns: Nottingham Forest stars reassigned due to FFP…

Nottingham Forest’s FFP breach means they will have to sell some of their best players this summer. The four-point deduction has put them in the drop zone, but whether they’re relegated or not, they’ll need to balance those lopsided books.
A Football Insider report has claimed Forest may have to sell the five players likely to make them the most money, and we’ve done them the solid of reassigning that quintet (market value in brackets) to willing Premier League buyers. Evangelos Marinakis, you’re welcome.
 
Morgan Gibbs-White (£35m) – Tottenham
The midfielder is already displaying the qualities Ange Postecoglou favours – dashing about, always looking forward and making things happen – and the Spurs boss is thought to be a big fan.
He ranks sixth in the Premier League for tackles in the final third (10) and ninth for shot-creating actions (106), illustrating the dynamism and creativity Ange covets.
TalkSPORT reckon Tottenham have a decent chance of persuading Forest into Gibbs-White’s sale as they have ‘a good relationship after buying his former teammate Brennan Johnson last summer’, though Forest probably wouldn’t be in this mess at all had Spurs made that £47.5m bid a couple of months earlier.
 
Taiwo Awoniyi (£24m) – West Ham
David Moyes chose Gianluca Scamacca over Awoniyi, and probably wishes he hadn’t. The Hammers will definitely be in the market for a new No.9 whether Moyes stays or goes, and they’ve experienced the Nigerian’s quality first hand.
The 26-year-old has scored home and away against the Hammers this season, with his goal at The City Ground a particularly impressive show of the sort of strength, touch and composure in front of goal that Moyes’ side have been crying out for.
Awoniyi Zouma
© Provided by Football365
Taiwo Awoniyi has been a thorn in West Ham’s side.
 
Danilo (£24m) – Aston Villa
Arsenal were linked before his move to Forest, they’ve since moved into a different buying bracket that could instead lead them to Douglas Luiz, meaning Danilo could be the man to fill his compatriot’s void at Villa.
Related video: Klopp on protecting youngsters but also providing opportunities (English Football Channel)

I know the other night you spoke about the youngsters

Danilo is talented but very raw, and it’s hard to imagine a better place for a player to develop right now than under Unai Emery’s stewardship at Villa Park.
 
Murillo (£21m) – Liverpool
Everything points to him signing for Chelsea. 22 or younger? Check. Brazilian? Check. Potential? Check. Likely to crumble under the pressure of a big club? Check. And they are interested, along with Arsenal and Newcastle, but Liverpool feel like the best fit.
One of Richard Hughes’ priorities at Anfield as their new sporting director will be to sign at least one, maybe two, centre-backs. Jurgen Klopp’s replacement will have Virgil van Dijk (if he stays) and Ibrahima Konate as the only two senior players in that position, assuming Joel Matip is on his way and with Joe Gomez more typically now used as full-back cover.
Forest reportedly want £50m+ for Murillo, though that price may well drop as the pressure to solve their financial problems ramps up.

Anthony Elanga (£19m) – Manchester United
Hear us out. Of the Manchester United players, only Rasmus Hojlund (0.60) has more goals and assists per 90 minutes than Elanga (0.50) in all competitions this season. And he’s done that for a team fighting relegation.
United have given up on Antony, for good reason, Jadon Sancho will presumably stay away, and so too will Mason Greenwood, because bringing him back would be a PR disaster for Sir Jim Ratcliffe. A winger is sure to be one of their top priorities this summer.
And Elanga fits the INEOS recruitment mantra. He’s young, as homegrown as homegrown can be having come through the United academy and would represent good value for money given that value is only likely to go in one direction.
He won’t be “the next Mbappe” but he could become the player many at United were hoping he could be when he first broke into the first team. Ralf Rangnick loved him, and many of his hard truths – unsettling at the time – have since seen him hailed as a prophet.