English Premier League giants, Arsenal Football Club, are poised to be declared champions of the 2023-24 season. Meanwhile, Manchester City a destined for lower divisions of English football when their imminent banishment from the premier league on account of financial fraud and several breaches of the financial fair play (FFP), multiple news outlets in England are reporting.

The banishment of Man City from the top tier football is expected to have domino effect as – a part from Arsenal moving a notch up and being declared champions – it would necessitate promotion of a championship side to replace it. Luton, relegated last season, is the most likely side to replace Man City.

According to Football365, one football finance expert is Manchester City are “very likely” to be “punished” after being accused of breaching the Premier League’s FFP rules.

At the start of 2023, it emerged that the Premier League champions have been referred to an independent commission after being accused of breaching 115 Financial Fair Play rules, according to the blog.

If Man City are found guilty, it adds, potential punishments include a huge fine, points deduction, transfer ban and expulsion from the Premier League.

This case has dragged on longer than most would have anticipated, but it is a complicated situation and a further spanner was thrown into the works earlier this year. This came as they launched an unprecedented legal battle against the Premier League as they are pushing for the removal of Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules.

The APT case has already been heard and a report claims Man City ‘achieved some success’ ahead of their FFP hearing, which is scheduled to get underway next month.

Last week, a detailed report from The Athletic revealed the views of ‘owners and executives who work or have worked within the Premier League’ on Man City’s FFP situation. One Premier League club executive was quoted as saying: “The collective view I’ve heard is that an appropriate sanction would have to be a points deduction so substantial – we are talking here between 70 and 80 points – that it guarantees Man City a season in the Championship.”

The report revealed another individual wants Man City’s punishment should be “more creative.”

“Another of the sport’s leading figures suggests the punishment ought to be more creative, that many points could be deducted from City in each of the next three seasons, meaning the club’s chance of Champions League qualification would be severely restricted.

“Another compares the City case to that of the English rugby union side Saracens who, when Premiership champions in 2019, were deducted 35 points, hit with a £5.36 million ($6.9 million at current rates) fine and relegated to the second division owing to non-compliance with the league’s salary-cap rules.’

This situation is unlikely to be concluded until the end of this season and ex-Everton CEO Keith Wyness has told Football Insider that a ‘punishment is very likely’ as Man City will “find it hard to come out of this completely free”.

Wyness told Football Insider: “The longer this goes on, the collateral damage for everyone just gets worse.

“It’s a bad look for City, and it’s also a bad look for the Premier League. City claims they have irrefutable proof they are innocent, and they have Lord Pannick – one of the top KCs in the country. They’re very bullish, but I do believe – having looked at the charges – they’ll find it hard to come out of this completely free.

“Both sides have got to try and find a settlement that is a rap on the knuckles for City, possibly more…”

• A Tell report