Senior football figures have told BBC Sport that Manchester City’s punishment for breaching Premier League financial rules should be decided before the end of this season. They say a swift, properly conducted decision would reduce uncertainty, particularly if City were to win the league while the case remained unresolved.

The Premier League said an independent commission found City guilty of all charges covering the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons, including artificially inflating revenue by more than £900m through sponsorship deals it described as sham arrangements. City deny wrongdoing and have indicated they intend to appeal; league rules say an appeal should conclude within 12 weeks, with a decision within 30 days of that. The commission will decide the outcome, and City may challenge the process at the High Court but cannot appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.