Blues’ FFP probe may be reopened by UEFA

UEFA have warned City they may reopen their previous Financial Fair Play (FFP) investigation into the club.

The Blues were initially handed a £49m fine for breaking FFP rules in 2014, but they received £33.4m of that back three years later after meeting requirements imposed at the time the sanction was handed down. The sanction also included a restriction on the size of the club’s squad for European competition in the following two seasons and imposed limits on their transfer spending and wage bill.

Rival clubs could have appealed against City’s 2014 sanction, but none did and, as of yet, no rival clubs have called for new sanctions.

The Blues have come under intense scrutiny after German newspaper Der Spiegel released details – apparently derived from hacked internal club emails – which alleged the owners had channelled funds through Abu Dhabi sponsorship deals in a bid to meet strict FFP limits. The Blues have repeatedly described Der Spiegel’s reports as the product of a ‘clear and organised’ attempt to tarnish their reputation.

A statement released by Uefa said the organisation makes an annual assessment of all clubs against FFP’s break-even requirements on a rolling three-year basis, and this assessment depends on ‘fair and accurate’ information provided by the clubs, as well as ‘compliance checks and analysis undertaken by UEFA’.

“If new information comes to light that may be material to this assessment, UEFA will use that to challenge the figures and will seek explanation, clarification or rebuttal from the club concerned,” the statement said. “Should new information suggest that previously-concluded cases have been abused, those cases may be capable of being reopened.”