Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has suggested he will be picking up another Premier League title after Manchester City were sensationally found guilty of financial rule breaks in the division.
A guilty verdict was delivered on all but one of their 115 rule-break charges concerning the Premier League’s financial regulations.
The competition accused the club of widespread financial cheating over an era of sustained success – with an independent panel hearing concluding in 2024.
City are set to appeal the decision but any punishment is now expected to follow, with some fans calling for the club to be stripped of the trophies they won at the time.
That includes the league title the club won in the 2011-12 season, which was claimed ahead of United when Sergio Aguero famously netted in the last minute of the final day against QPR.
It meant City won the league ahead of local rivals United on goal difference, with Ferdinand in the United team that lost out that day.
Rio Ferdinand has suggested he is in for another Premier League medal after Manchester City were found guilty on 114 of 115 financial charges
The former defender was referring to the dramatic title won by City when Sergio Arguero scored late against QPR
And the former defender has taken to social media, essentially demanding that City are stripped of the title they won that year.
‘Another Premier League medal to be added to the cabinet,’ the 47-year-old wrote on social media.
He would leave United at the end of the 2013-14 season, in which City won the Premier League again – though Liverpool finished second.
In the bombshell event that City are stripped of their titles won during their period of financial breaches, United would have two championships reinstated – 2011-12 and 2017-18, while Liverpool would receive the trophy for 2013-14.
Simon Jordan, meanwhile, wrote on X: ‘115 charges … well well … fun and games ahead this is seismic!’
The verdict could lead to a variety of punishments including huge points deductions, financial penalties, and even relegation.
Points deductions could even be applied onto previous seasons, raising the chance that City will be stripped of their Premier League titles. Beneficiaries, in that case, would be the likes of United and Liverpool – who would be awarded three more Premier League titles each.
A Manchester City spokesperson said: ‘The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the Club’s statement of February 2023.
‘The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.’
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