Arsenal could be amongst a number of Premier League clubs who have reserved the right to seek compensation from Manchester City if they are found guilty of breaching Premier League rules with PSR charges.
The current champions have been in the midst of a legal battle with the Premier League for some time now, with the league conducting a five-year investigation into the conduct of the side.
In February 2023, the outcome of that investigation was released by the division, which charged Man City with 115 alleged rule breaches spanning from 2009 until 2018.
A long and drawn-out procedure has followed it, with legal proceedings that could shape English football for the future.
The hearing finally kickstarted in September 2024 – roughly 18 months after the original charges were made public.
The process is far from finished, but if Man City are to be found guilty, then Arsenal could be among the sides feeling somewhat aggrieved over the situation.
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Premier League clubs reserve legal action against Manchester City
While the hearing into Manchester City’s case with the Premier League is ongoing, with a verdict not expected for a while, there is an important date that has been reached in regards to other clubs in the division.
There is a six-year statute of limitation against any compensation that rival clubs can claim to be owed in a legal battle if Man City are found guilty, dating back to November 5, 2018.
That date is when the Football Leaks document was first published and alleged that the Sky Blues had broken league rules.
It meant that November 5, 2024, was the final date any club could reserve the right to legal action through arbitration.
According to The Times, “a number” of Premier League clubs have reserved that right to seek compensation in the case of a confirmed breach before the deadline passed.
That compensation could include loss of revenue through losing out on league titles or places in European competitions, which the report claims could total “hundreds of millions of pounds”.
Man City have stood firmly against allegations of breaking the rules and have looked to fight against the charges placed on them by the Premier League.
The club claims to have “irrefutable evidence” which will shut down any claims of alleged PSR breaches.
The outcome of the hearing is still awaited by all corners of the wider footballing world.
Arsenal could be amongst teams eyeing Man City legal action
The names of those teams reserving the right to potential legal action against Man City are currently unknown.
Arsenal could be one of the sides involved though, given the possible loss of revenue in certain campaigns.
The previous seasons that have featured Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola duelling for the title won’t fit in the time frame mentioned – with the alleged breaches taking place from 2009-2018.
While league title discussion isn’t on the cards for that period, there is the potential for compensation when it comes to that nine-year period.
In 2016/17, the Gunners missed out on a spot in the top four, with Man City finishing third and taking a Champions League place.
That could, in theory, allow Arsenal to reserve the right to potential compensation if they believe they have a case in the event of City being found in breach of these charges.
It remains to be seen if that is the case though, with the verdict on the PSR charges still to be heard, while there is also no confirmation that the Gunners are amongst those reserving the right for potential legal action.
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