Manchester City could learn their fate before Christmas over their alleged financial breaches, according to the club’s former advisor. City and the Premier League have been waiting since last December for a verdict on the 115 charges, with continual delays dragging the saga out further and further.

The hearing into City’s alleged 115 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules concluded in December 2024 following a 12-week tribunal but the independent commission is still yet to make its conclusion public.

Like everyone else, City have been left in the dark, with manager Pep Guardiola saying in February that the verdict was coming in “one month”. In the summer, it was then reported that October might bring the conclusion.

City’s former advisor Stefan Borson said the verdict had been “imminent for some time” and “could come out before Christmas”. He has also given an insight into why things have taken so long.

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola owns up to another painful Man City error in brutally honest interview

READ MORE: Sheff Utd owners 'launched offer' to buy hated rivals Sheff Weds with MERGER suggested

Speaking to talkSPORT, Borson said neither City nor the Premier League could be blamed for the sluggish process. Instead, he suggested that those on the commission should have been paid to exclusively work on the case so they could reach a swift verdict.

The deliberations are still shrouded in secrecy, as Borson explained: “Well, look, nobody knows because even the parties themselves expected to have been told by now. All the lawyers are surprised there is no decision at this stage, and that's on both sides.

"I'll tell you who's holding it up: the panel making the decision. They hold the pen. They are the people who everybody waits for to deliver the decision.

“Well, nobody knows. We know the long list – you can cobble it together from all of the people on the judicial panel – but we don't know who is on that list. We can make some guesses that it's probably two lawyers and maybe one accountant. But we don't know who is on the panel and what they were told to produce by when.

“We can now assume, I think, given how long it has been and that everybody is so surprised that they don't have a decision, that actually there's very little guidance given to them and they weren't effectively paid for their time from the moment the case ended.

“Arguably the Premier and Manchester City together, with the panel, should have agreed a process whereby the hearing ends and then effectively they are exclusively paid to deliberate and produce, over let's say three months or at worst six months, the decision during the closed season.”

City have always rejected any wrongdoing and have insisted they have a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" to prove their innocence, The charges relate to alleged financial fair play breaches between 2009 and 2018 and the alleged subsequent refusal to co-operate with an investigation.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.