Sun 27 April 2025 10:33, UK
Manchester City could be facing a long wait before their associated party transactions (APT) case reaches a conclusion.
The English champions challenged the APT rules at an arbitration hearing in June last year, with two aspects of the regulations deemed unlawful when the panel published its findings in October.
The Premier League issued proposed amendments that were later approved by the top-flight clubs at a meeting in November.
The case then took a new twist in February when the panel ruled the APT regulations in place between 2021 and 2024 were “void and unenforceable”.
However, the Premier League has insisted the ruling doesn’t impact the “valid operation” of the current APT rules following the changes made in November.
Man City have since submitted a new legal challenge as they look to overhaul the APT rules for a second time.
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The Lawyer reported on 22 April the trial, which is set to last almost two weeks, will take place in mid-October.
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider it’s “crazy” the case could now drag on until the start of 2026 before the panel publishes its verdict.
Pep Guardiola’s side currently sit fourth in the Premier League table as they go in pursuit of Champions League qualification.
Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty ImagesMan City legal update ‘surprising’ as timeline revealed
Borson admitted he’s “surprised” the second APT hearing is set to last up to two weeks.
He told Football Insider: “I think if you look at what happened last time when we had an APT hearing of two weeks, two weeks does tend to suggest that there’s a fairly detailed set of arguments that are going to be heard, which is a bit of a surprise.
“I would have thought that it would have been a bit quicker, just because the panel would be so familiar with the issues that they wouldn’t need quite so long.
“But if it is two weeks, then I think we can probably again expect it to take maybe a couple of months before we get a decision, so I think it will probably be in December sometime, maybe even just slipping over into January.
“There will then be a question of whether it will be the whole decision or whether like APT 1, as it’s become known, they’ll need to kind of go back for some additional determinations on what the findings of the first hearing means for the overall position in terms of being null and void.
“I think it’s a crazy situation that this could feasibly stretch on to 2026.”
Premier League table (as of 26/04/2025)Man City to blow Liverpool away in Jeremy Monga race
Football Insider revealed on 26 April Man City are leading Liverpool in the race to sign Jeremy Monga and are expected to finalise a deal.
The 15-year-old fits the profile of younger players the Manchester giants have been looking at, while he is well-suited to their system, philosophy and youth model.
Monga became the Premier League’s second-youngest-ever player when he appeared off the bench during Leicester City’s 3-0 defeat to Newcastle United earlier this month.
Liverpool’s interest was piqued after he made a five-minute cameo appearance at Anfield, but they now look set to miss out on his signature.
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