Are you a player who finished second to Manchester City in the last 16 years? Then you may be entitled to a Premier League, FA Cup or Carabao Cup winners’ medal. That’s the line that many seem to be pushing, as they desperately attempt to claim what they feel is now rightfully theirs.
The reality is that it won’t be that simple. David Ornstein’s bombshell report revealed that Man City have been found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League and punishment ideas have been never-ending ever since.
Those at the Etihad have remained calm, however. They’ve continued to push their confidence, despite being found guilty of almost every charge. Once the news is official, they will look to appeal the process even if it turns out to be a delay of the inevitable.
If punishment is just around the corner, though, it’s worth considering what life at Man City will look like. The current expectation seems to be a hefty point deduction and countless legal battles with the sides who missed out as a result of City’s actions over the years.
This could see them relegated from the Premier League and, as some reports have claimed, paying up to £100m to each club they potentially lose a legal battle against.
And then there are the players. When the closest thing to a Manchester derby becomes Stockport away, do the biggest stars really stay put? Does Erling Haaland choose club hero over the biggest honours?
Erling Haaland’s agent responds after Man City charges
It looks like one of the biggest questions has an answer, for the time being. According to TeamTalk, Haaland remains focused on Man City and his agent has insisted that there has been no contact with the likes of Arsenal despite the implications that could arrive with the Citizens’ guilty verdict.
Previous reports suggested that Barcelona and Real Madrid believe 2027 could be the year to sign the excellent Norwegian. As things stand, however, Man City remain the only club in his mind and he still has eight years left on his current deal.
Whether relegation to the Championship changes that stance remains to be seen. It would be quite the scenario if Haaland – arguably the best striker in the world – found himself in the second tier of English football. If anyone’s hoping for other clubs to snap up his signature, it is Championship defenders.
The response from the forward’s camp echoes the calm that Man City have portrayed in a worsening storm. Club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak issued a statement on Saturday, revealing that he is still confident that City will come out of this innocent.
He said: “There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position.
“But the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it means I cannot do that at the moment. Even this letter underwent several legal checks to make sure it complies.”
Whether that composure and confidence lasts the test of time in the face of a guilty verdict is now the big question. That confidence can quickly become naivety.