Chelsea's reality of getting Man City compensation as Arsenal and Tottenham notified early

News broke last month that Manchester City had been found guilty on all but one of the 115 charges laid by the Premier League in February 2023

Chelsea face a complicated procedure to seek financial compensation after Manchester City were found to have breached Premier League financial rules. News broke last month that City had been found guilty of all but one of 115 charges they faced for breaching the league’s financial rules, immediately sparking speculation they could face unprecedented sanctions.

City were charged with failing to report accurate financial information for nine seasons from 2009. They were also charged with failing to provide full details of remuneration in contracts with players between 2010-11 and 2015-16, and with failing to co-operate with the Premier League’s investigation over a period from 2018 to 2023.

The Etihad club have appealed the decision and continue to deny any wrongdoing, but the question of compensation hangs over the outcome of the process, especially after Burnley were awarded £35m from Everton after the Toffees were subsequently found to have breached financial controls in the 2021/22 season, at the end of which the Clarets were relegated to the Sky Bet Championship.

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Everton are appealing against that judgement, but the Telegraph are reporting that Chelsea declined to give notice back in September 2024, just before the six-year limit on giving notice, to seek damages in the event of a guilty verdict for City

Although that is unlikely to preclude Chelsea and other clubs from compensation claims,it may complicate the procedure.

While the Telegraph is also reporting that Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, the four clubs who reserved their right to seek compensation, were all notified of the guilty verdict last month before the rest of the league.

The report claims that executives at those four clubs were required to sign a non-disclosure agreement to view the judgement and the Premier League declined to comment.

In an open letter to supporters following the judgement, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said that “nothing has changed” and the club’s confidence and intent in proving their innocence is just as strong as when this began.

He said: “While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed.

"We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our club. We will not give them that opportunity.

“We have some exciting moments to look forward to after this international break. We travel to Anfield in a fortnight, and then host Paris St Germain in the Champions League back at Etihad Stadium – moments that give us an opportunity to celebrate the strength of the Manchester City family. Thank you, as always, for your constant support.”

The statement followed an appeal by Al Mubarak to supporters, which read: “I have been part of this club for 18 years. I have had the privilege to stand with you in the Etihad, at Wembley, and in Istanbul. This club matters to me, and you have shown and told me – time and time again – how much Manchester City matters to you. This is why I am writing to you today.

“Following Friday’s media reporting, many of you will have spent your evening answering questions and responding to messages from friends, family and colleagues. So have I. Here’s what I said to my family: The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began.

“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.

“I ask you to please carefully read the statement, which we gave on Friday, and the statement we issued in February 2023. Every word matters and holds true.”