Manchester City knew guilty verdict before £450m summer spending spree

Manchester City knew they had been found guilty of more than 100 Premier League financial breaches before completing the majority of their extraordinary summer transfer spending.

ESPN claims that senior City officials learned of the independent commission’s findings in July, around two months before news of the verdict became public.

The timing means the club were allegedly aware of the outcome before committing heavily to strengthening new manager Enzo Maresca’s squad during the remainder of the transfer window.

City eventually spent more than £450 million on seven senior additions, making it one of the most expensive transfer windows ever undertaken by an English club.

Their biggest investment was the £125m deadline-day acquisition of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea. Elliot Anderson also arrived from Nottingham Forest in another enormous deal.

City reached the Anderson agreement before they were informed of the commission’s findings, and the transfer was formally completed later that month.

They subsequently continued spending, with Ayyoub Bouaddi and Iliman Ndiaye among the other players recruited during a major overhaul of Maresca’s squad.

The Guardian reported their eventual summer expenditure at approximately £457.5m, while significant player sales helped offset part of that outlay.

An independent commission has found City guilty of most of the financial breaches the Premier League brought against them.

The case concerns allegations including inaccurate financial information, player and manager remuneration and breaches of financial regulations, alongside failures to cooperate with the league’s investigation.

No sanction has been announced yet, and City maintain their innocence. The club is expected to challenge the findings through the available appeals process.

Potential punishments could include a fine, points deduction or, at the most severe end of the Premier League’s disciplinary powers, suspension or expulsion from the competition.

City chief executive Ferran Soriano has also reiterated the club’s determination to contest the outcome, with the dispute potentially continuing for some time.

The revelation over when City learned of the verdict places fresh scrutiny on a remarkable summer in which they committed more than £450m to reshaping their squad despite knowing the commission had ruled against them.