Richard Masters on Manchester City Verdict: Patience is Key

Richard Masters insists Man City verdict is close – but warns Premier League “can’t cut corners”

Richard Masters knows everyone is tired of waiting. He is too.

Speaking at a launch event on Tuesday and in an interview with talkSPORT, the Premier League chief executive addressed the unresolved financial charges hanging over Manchester City, more than a year and a half after they were first made public.

Man City were charged in February 2023 with numerous alleged breaches of financial rules. An independent commission heard the case, with proceedings wrapping up in December 2024. Since then? Silence, at least in public.

“As every day elapses, we must be a day nearer,” Masters said, acknowledging the length of the process but refusing to be drawn on specifics. “I obviously can't comment on it. I do understand the frustration. It has taken longer than expected, but we have to follow the process.”

The message was clear: the Premier League is in no rush to trade speed for certainty.

Masters underlined that the league’s primary responsibility is not to deliver a quick headline but to ensure the commission gets to the bottom of the allegations.

“In the end, the Premier League's responsibility is to ask the Independent Commission to look at serious allegations and to establish the truth,” he said. “That shouldn't be qualified by it taking too long, for example.”

The pressure around the case has intensified with every passing month. Supporters across the league want clarity. Rival clubs want a resolution. City, who deny wrongdoing, remain under intense scrutiny while they wait for the commission’s verdict.

Chelsea comparison highlights different approach

Masters also drew a deliberate contrast with Chelsea, who were hit with a £10 million fine and a suspended transfer ban for historical breaches. That case moved far more quickly, and for a reason.

“In the situation with Chelsea, obviously it's historic. It's very different to PSR cases,” he explained. “In the case of Chelsea, the new owners came forward with all the information, and we decided to enter a sanction agreement.”

Chelsea’s new hierarchy opened the books, volunteered evidence and accepted sanctions. The Premier League chose a cooperative route, reaching an agreement rather than pushing through a fully contested, drawn-out hearing.

Manchester City’s case, Masters stressed, sits in a different category. The investigation is more complex, more heavily contested and, crucially, lacks some of the straightforward cooperation seen elsewhere.

He pointed to the reality of other “complex historical investigations” where the league does not have complete evidence or access to key witnesses. In those situations, he said, sending the matter to a contested independent commission is the only viable option, even if that means long delays and mounting frustration.

The clock keeps ticking. The questions keep coming. Masters’ stance, though, is unflinching: the verdict will arrive when the commission is satisfied it has the full picture, not a moment sooner.