Arsenal Chief Richard Garlick Wants Swift Resolution To Man City Financial Case

Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick says the Premier League and its clubs want a swift resolution to Manchester City’s long-running financial case.

Man City face more than 100 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.

The club has denied all wrongdoing, but the independent commission handling the case has yet to announce its verdict.

The disciplinary hearing ended more than 18 months ago, while the Premier League first charged Man City in February 2023.

With the new season approaching, Garlick admitted that the delay had become frustrating, although he stressed that Arsenal had no control over the process.

“It has gone on for a while,” Garlick told BBC Sport.

“Everybody, the league and the teams, would want the clarity around what’s going to happen next.

“But it’s not something that I can control. It’s not something I can speculate on.

“And I just hope that there is a solution very quickly.”

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters also acknowledged that the case had taken longer than expected but said the league could not rush the independent process.

“I do accept it’s taking longer than expected, and I understand that people want to find out as soon as possible what’s going on, but I simply can’t provide that,” Masters said.

Masters described the case as “hugely complex” and insisted that the Premier League must follow its rules before the commission reaches its conclusion.

“Our rules are very clear, we have to follow the process, and there’s only one real clear route through, which is to allow that process to reach its natural conclusion,” he added.

The financial burden of prolonged legal disputes has also become a concern. The Premier League spent £45m on legal bills during the 2023-24 season in disputes involving its financial regulations.

That figure has intensified concerns among clubs about the cost of lengthy financial investigations and legal battles.