Skip to content
Bramble

Sport

Man City found to have inflated revenues by £830m; analysis of transfer spending in the period

A disciplinary commission found Manchester City overstated their income by about £830m between 2009 and 2018. Coverage examines what the club spent on players over that period and what could follow.

2 outlets · 0L · 1C · 1R First reported Account updated
Image: Irish Independent

The story, neutrally told

A commission has found Manchester City guilty of the charges the Premier League brought against the club about three and a half years ago. The commission said City's accounts were falsified, with money put into the club by its owners under the guise of sponsorship income; the £830m figure appears in both outlets' headlines. BBC Sport says City spent about £1.2bn on new players between summer 2009 and January 2018.

In that period the club won seven major trophies: three Premier Leagues, one FA Cup and three EFL Cups. The BBC notes that income is also spent on wages, infrastructure and other costs, but argues the figures suggest City could not have bought as many players of such quality without the alleged falsification. It says the outcome of the seasons cannot be known, and that some fans call the period the 'asterisk era'.

City have until Friday to appeal; if that fails, the club will face some punishment, and it is unknown whether sanctions would affect past results. The BBC adds that some clubs are seeking legal advice over possible compensation. The Irish Independent's headline calls the payments 'illegal' and focuses on the players City signed with the money.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre1 outlet

Framing
A long analytical piece linking City's transfer spending to the falsified income, then asking what it means for the past and future of the league.
Emphasis
The scale of spending versus inflated income, trophies won, uncertainty over sanctions and fan trust.
Leaves out or plays down
Little detail on City's own response or defence.
Charged language
“asterisk era”“disguised funding scheme”“con the Premier League”
For example
“Some fans are referring to it as the asterisk era” — BBC News
“City would simply not have been able to purchase the quantity and quality of players they signed” — BBC News

Right1 outlet

Framing
Frames the story around the players bought with what it calls illegal payments, describing the money in unambiguous legal terms.
Emphasis
The link between the payments and the player signings.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention City's response.
Charged language
“illegal payments”
For example
“The players Man City signed with their £830m illegal payments” — Irish Independent