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Topics: David Ornstein, Manchester City, Premier League
Ryan Smart
David Ornstein has offered an update on Manchester City's 115 charges case against the Premier League.
The Premier League initially charged City with 115 alleged breaches of their financial rules - with a minority of the breaches relating to UEFA - back in February 2023.
The Times reported in December that the charges are believed to be as high as 130 due to a reporting error from the Premier League, though the league nor City have made any comment on the matter.
City do strenuously deny the charges against them, and say they have an 'irrefutable body of evidence' for use in their defence.
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A private hearing into the matter took place between September and December which, by definition, has given little extra information surrounding the case, with a verdict expected to be announced this month.
Both parties can appeal whatever verdict is made. If found guilty, City could face points deductions, fines, or even relegation in the most serious scenario.
Now, Ornstein has revealed a rare update on the situation ahead of the expected verdict.
During his latest Q&A on The Athletic, he has indicated that a verdict could arrive as late as June - around the time of City's participation in this summer's Club World Cup.
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He wrote: "People have been saying things like 'imminent', 'this week', 'tomorrow' for ages now, and that shows most of us simply don't know - probably only a small number involved in the process do.
"The expectation at Man City has been 'spring', and if that's the case, we're into that.
"However, it'd also mean we could be waiting until late June!
"Plus, as long as we don't have anything firm from the Premier League, City or other parties privy to the matter, it's largely speculation and perhaps subject to change.
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"Another thing we don't know is the nature of the announcement. So, will the verdict be as black and white as many are anticipating? Could it be an anti-climax? How much detail will there be to sift through? What are the next steps? Will there be appeals, and if the answer is yes, how long could they take?
"You suspect this process is nowhere near finished yet."
Here is a full breakdown of the charges laid against City by the Premier League, with a small minority of the charges also involving UEFA.