The contractual position could become significant if City’s eventual punishment results in them dropping out of the Premier League. The club have lodged an appeal against the independent commission’s findings, and no sporting sanction has yet been imposed.
City already have one of the biggest wage bills in world football, and the BBC’s analysis says maintaining that level of spending would become more difficult without Premier League income. There is also no guarantee that City would receive parachute payments if any demotion resulted from a disciplinary sanction.
Erling Haaland provides perhaps the most eye-catching example of the wider issue. The striker is contracted to Man City until 2034, while reports have previously stated that his deal does not contain a relegation release clause.
That doesn’t mean City would necessarily keep Haaland or the rest of their squad if they dropped down the divisions. Players wanting to leave would still need other clubs to agree transfer fees with City, while their substantial salaries could make some deals difficult to complete.
The BBC also reports that City would be unlikely simply to accept reduced offers for players because of relegation. Their contractual position would therefore leave the club with considerable control over potential departures, even if some members of the squad wanted to leave.
As we’ve already covered, relegation and more extreme outcomes remain possibilities being discussed rather than confirmed punishments. City’s appeal and the separate sanctions process still have to run their course.
What is clearer is that dropping out of the Premier League wouldn’t automatically slash City’s salary bill. That could make the financial consequences of any eventual demotion considerably more complicated.
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