A senior figure from within football has suggested an alternative punishment for Manchester City if they are found guilty of any alleged rule breaches by the Premier League.
City's hearing into 115 charges related to alleged financial rule breaches begins on Monday morning.
The club strenuously deny all the charges and claim to have 'irrefutable evidence' that proves their innocence.
They were initially charged by the Premier League back in February 2023, though it was only confirmed last week that a date for the long-anticipated hearing had been set.
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If found guilty of the more serious charges involved, there are a number of potential punishments for City.
According to the London Evening Standard, a points deduction or heavy fine would be the most likely outcome - but relegation from the Premier League is said to not be off the table.
The Times claimed in August that City are actually facing 130 charges, due to an error in how the Premier League initially reported the alleged breaches. The Premier League declined to comment on this when approached by SPORTbible.
Now, The Telegraph report that the hearing's commission would not have the power to relegate City to a certain division if they are found guilty.
Instead, the club would have to apply to join the EFL - who would be under no obligation to accept them.
Now, a senior figure from the league has suggested another punishment, with The Telegraph reporting that some clubs believe City being relegated would not be harsh enough if they are found guilty of the most serious breaches.
The senior figure has suggested that City could have any points deduction applied over multiple seasons, if guilty, which would impact their ability to challenge for honours in subsequent seasons instead of a straight relegation.
The hearing into City begins on Monday.
Topics: Manchester City, EFL Championship, Football, Premier League
Ryan Smart