City chairman 'frustrated' with finance references

The chairman of Manchester City football club has voiced his opinion that accusations of financial misconduct should not be based on hearsay, but rather on substantiated evidence. He emphasized the need for a fair trial and objective evaluation of the facts before any verdicts are reached.

The head of Manchester City, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, has revealed his annoyance towards the claims of financial misconduct. (0:58)

Rob Dawson, Reporter, June 5th, 2024, 10:54 in the morning.

The head of Manchester City, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, expressed his annoyance that the team's successes are being overshadowed by allegations of monetary impropriety.

The team from the City has won the championship for four years in a row, which is a new record. They have taken home six Premier League titles in seven years.

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However, numerous individuals who are not associated with the club believe that their exceptional accomplishments are blemished by claims that they have violated the monetary regulations implemented by the Premier League.

In February 2023, City was faced with over 100 charges. These accusations were initially made public by the Premier League, and a hearing is scheduled to commence in November, which is more than a year and a half after the incident.

Khaldoon expressed his annoyance during an interview for City's official club channels.

In my opinion, the constant mentioning of the referencing can be quite aggravating. The way it's being brought up repeatedly can definitely be difficult for our supporters and all those linked to the club to endure.

As a club, it's important for us to acknowledge and honor the fact that there is a certain procedure that we must follow, and we are currently in the midst of doing just that.

The duration of this situation has exceeded everyone's expectations, however, the reality is what it is. As I have consistently stated, let us base our evaluation on evidence rather than declarations and rebuttals.

On Monday, it was uncovered that City is fighting back against the Premier League by making a legal challenge against their associated party transaction rules (APT) in a different legal case compared to the charges they are facing for supposedly violating the financial regulations of the league.

Next week, a private meeting for arbitration will take place. On Saturday in Abu Dhabi, Khaldoon made a statement but was not asked directly about the ongoing legal case involving the Premier League. However, he suggested that the amount of regulation could limit City and other teams from spending large amounts of money on new players during the summer transfer season.

In my opinion, the Premier League has achieved its current status by being the league with the highest level of competitiveness," stated Khaldoon.

I trust that there will be greater rationality in overseeing things. It's best for all football leagues to maintain a fair and measured approach, whether in England or across the continent of Europe.

In my opinion, the amount of money spent on player transfers will not be as high as it has been in previous years. This is due to the increase in regulations that have been introduced within the last year.

I believe that the amount of freedom that teams had in the past to make moves and strategic decisions has been significantly reduced this year. As a result, I anticipate that we will see the impact of these changes during the upcoming summer months.

City is not only focusing on rebuilding their team, but they are also considering what lies ahead for manager Pep Guardiola. Guardiola's contract ends in a year, and he has insinuated that he may be nearing the end of his eight-year reign at the Etihad Stadium. Khaldoon stated that the club and Guardiola will decide on his future together when the timing is appropriate.

Khaldoon mentioned that this conversation has taken place countless times before, and that it has been recurring throughout the duration of the contract.

Pep has always been incredibly loyal to our club and has honored each of the contracts he has signed with us. When it comes to deciding what his future holds, we will collaborate and I have complete confidence that we will come to a mutually beneficial solution that satisfies both Pep and our organization, just as we have always managed to do in the past.