Former Tottenham chairman Lord Alan Sugar has explosively claimed Manchester City have ‘got away with b****y murder’ due to their 115 charges case remaining unresolved.
City were charged with 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League‘s financial rules in February 2023 and a 12-week hearing concluded in December 2024 – but an independent commission is still yet to publish its ruling on the ‘hugely complex case’.
The club strenuously deny the allegations. The verdict could see City exonerated or facing historic penalties.
Lord Sugar, who served as Tottenham chairman from 1991 to 2001, became the latest critic of the length of time required for the infamous financial charges case.
‘I am waiting to see what is going to happen with Man City, the thing is Man City have got away with b****y murder,’ Lord Sugar said in an appearance on Football Uncensored.
‘For about three years now there has been talk of them infringing these rules, they have most probably paid about half a billion to lawyers so far to frighten the Premier League.
Lord Sugar explosively claimed Man City have ‘got away with murder’ due to their long-running 115 charges case remaining unresolved
City’s hearing – over allegations of repeated breaches of the top-flight’s financial controls – ended in December 2024 but a verdict remains outstanding. City deny all wrongdoing
‘When are they going to get done or aren’t they going to get done.’
Host Piers Morgan, a vocal Arsenal supporter, agreed stating: ‘It is a very interesting question, City have just spent an absolute fortune in this transfer window and yet they have got 115 charges hanging over them.
‘It seems to have been going on with an interminable amount of time but will have dramatic consequences.
‘If they are found guilty, you could see them having Premier League titles stripped from them, maybe three, maybe four – hopefully coming Arsenal’s way – you could see them relegated. This has enormous implications, how can they spend all this money with this hanging over them?’
Man City spent £440million in the transfer window and equalled the British transfer record signing £125million Enzo Fernandez.
It was a bumper summer for City after the exit of long-serving manager Pep Guardiola. They also signed Elliot Anderson (£116m), Ayyoub Bouaddi (£86m), Iliman Ndiaye (£60m), Allan and Geronimo Rulli.
David Bernstein, who served as Man City chairman from 1998 until 2003 and served as Football Association chair 2011-13, on Sunday also attacked the lack of an outcome and questioned the Premier League’s handling of the case.
Writing in the Sunday Times, Bernstein said: ‘The fact they have done this (transfer spend) against the background of the 115 Premier League charges is extraordinary and makes a mockery of regulation in England’s top division, supposedly the best-run league in the world.
‘Why the league decided to prosecute all 115 alleged offences is a mystery to me. Surely common sense (often in short supply) would point to simplifying the process by taking a handful of the bigger, clearer issues and pursuing these as specimen cases.
David Bernstein was City chairman from 1998 until 2003 and served as FA chair 2011-13
Premier League boss Richard Masters has claimed that Manchester City’s ongoing 115 charges saga is ‘not necessarily top of the list’ when it comes to his conversations with clubs
‘Justice delayed is justice denied, and the longer this process is drawn out, the more the resulting implications and challenges are compounded.’
This is the fourth season to begin under the cloud of the City 115 charges announcement.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters conceded last month that the case was taking ‘longer than expected’, but said the saga was ‘not necessarily top of the list’ when it comes to his conversations with clubs.
Four Premier League sides have reserved the right to seek compensation should City be found guilty and it would appear that much of football is desperate for an outcome.
However, Masters suggested that the noise in boardrooms up and down the country is not as loud as one might imagine.
‘I obviously speak to clubs all the time,’ he said last month. ‘It’s not necessarily a topic of conversation that is top of the list. (There are) Lots of other things to talk about and do. The Premier League moves on. It’s starting (again) on Friday evening.’
Masters has previously admitted to being frustrated by the length of time the independent panel is taking to return its verdict.
‘The process is the process,’ he said. ‘It will resolve itself. But as you know, I literally can’t say a thing about it. There’s only one available option, which is to allow the process to reach its natural conclusion. I can’t talk about the substance of the case. I can’t talk about the timing of the case. Our rules are very clear about that. I understand that people are frustrated but it will take as long as it takes.’
Man City are joint top of the Premier League, having taken maximum points from their first three matches under the guidance of Enzo Maresca – including a 1-0 victory over promoted Coventry City on Saturday.
