The looming punishment certainly complicates City’s plans in the transfer market.
“This isn’t the players’ failing, it’s on the club. Potential new signings aren’t even in the building and joining City without knowing what the punishment would be represents an undeniable risk, so any new contracts would have to have indemnities,” said one leading agent.
It was acknowledged that writing eventualities into new registrations is very difficult, though City players do have release clauses in their deals should the club enter into administration.
Until a post-appeal verdict over sanctions is made, making new signings will certainly become more complicated, though it is still likely they will be able to attract big players as they still have the financial muscle to do so.
For example, one potential method of persuading a player to join would be to offer them a contract on big money with no pay decreases if the club are relegated, and then include a fixed fee release clause if City don’t return to the top flight within a set period.
If sanctions ensure relegation and include further points deductions that stretch over multiple seasons, attracting top players will of course be harder.
City could make a wage package hard to resist for elite players, but it seems inconceivable that a footballer of that ilk would join with demotion a possibility as there are likely to be other top options elsewhere.
The same logic can be applied to the retention of their current squad.
There is almost certainly going to be interest in their top players from other elite clubs across Europe. It will be very difficult for City to keep that level of player in the coming months and years while the saga plays out.
So with all that said, particularly if relegation is confirmed, City will have to rebuild their squad to some extent, though the prospect of a transfer embargo as one of the sanctions would prevent them from making any signings at all.
Such a rebuild may include the promotion of some of the club’s best academy players, who stand to benefit if the first-team squad disbands.
When Chelsea were placed under a transfer embargo in 2019, the likes of Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, Billy Gilmour and Callum Hudson-Odoi all emerged as senior players.
And while City may look to rebuild with a profile of player they believe will be adept at being successful in the EFL, you will likely see a number of their younger players fast-tracked.
With that said, a number of clubs are already working on seeing if they can capitalise on the current uncertainty by luring City’s best academy talent.