I expect Manchester City to receive a huge points deduction, potentially somewhere around 60 to 100 points, alongside a substantial fine and possibly a transfer or player-registration ban. After 114 charges were reportedly upheld, I cannot see the punishment being limited to something that barely affects them. Yet I would still be surprised if City were expelled from English football altogether. A points deduction that sends them into the Championship feels more realistic, even if that ultimately amounts to only one season outside the Premier League. The irony is that a punishment that looks devastating on paper could prove surprisingly short-lived if City keep enough of their squad to challenge for immediate promotion.
A transfer ban might also be less damaging to City than it sounds. They already have an enormous player pool, including players out on loan, and their wider City Football Group structure gives them access to talent across a number of clubs.
A transfer ban might also be less damaging to City than it sounds. They already have an enormous player pool, including players out on loan, and their wider City Football Group structure gives them access to talent across a number of clubs.