Man City verdict: most player contracts lack relegation clauses — SkimNews
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- Manchester City was found guilty by an independent commission on the majority of 115 Premier League financial charges covering the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons and has lodged an appeal against the ruling.
- City's player contracts do not generally include relegation clauses and are fully guaranteed, meaning the club can demand transfer fees and is not obliged to impose pay cuts if demoted.
- Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes, Marcus Bettinelli and Geronimo Rulli are the only first-team players with contracts expiring in the next two summers, easing immediate renewal pressure.
- FIFA will introduce regulations requiring release clauses in every contract signed on or after January 1, 2027, adding a fresh recruitment constraint for the club.
- Agents who spoke to BBC Sport said prospective signings would need contract indemnities and predicted elite players would be reluctant to join while demotion is possible, while clubs are already circling City's academy talent.
- City's response is complicated by uncertainty over sanctions, with a potential transfer embargo among the possibilities and squad members split between scepticism about the appeal and faith in owners Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Ferran Soriano.
Why it matters: City hold unusual contractual leverage because most players have no relegation release clauses and guaranteed wages, but that power cuts both ways — sustaining one of football's highest wage bills without Premier League income would be financially punishing, and rivals are already positioning to poach first-team stars and academy talent while the appeal drags on.
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