According to The Sun, Paul Quinn, a football finance writer, has proposed a plan recommending that Manchester City FC pay a £300 million fine and accept a 5-year team budget cap without point deductions or expulsion from English football.

The proposal also includes penalties for those responsible for the breaches. The plan is expected to force Manchester City FC to reduce spending on player transfers and wages, and potentially sell star players like Haaland, which would end the club's decade-long dominance.

Under this plan, Manchester City FC would face no point deductions and would not be expelled from the Premier League or English football. However, if Manchester City FC are stripped of titles, only Liverpool would benefit. Etihad and other competitors would have to accept these terms, which would resolve further legal or disciplinary disputes.

Legal experts, including barrister Paul Gilroy QC, have warned that Manchester City FC may not face sanctions for years or may face no consequences at all. Gilroy believes Manchester City FC's appeal and disciplinary processes cannot be completed this season, and the only hope for a swift resolution is an out-of-court settlement among all parties.

Previously, Quinn hosted Everton's podcast for a long time and wrote about Everton's financial situation for years. He is now focusing on the challenges facing other clubs and the entire football industry.

Quinn's proposal is divided into three parts. The first is a record Premier League fine of £300 million, to be allocated by the Premier League. Approximately £108 million would be distributed to clubs directly harmed by Manchester City FC's breaches, primarily Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United, with smaller shares for Southampton, Chelsea, and West Ham United.

Another £115 million would be a "solidarity dividend," distributed to the six aforementioned clubs and other clubs that competed against Manchester City FC during the 2013/14 to 2017/18 seasons. The remaining £77 million would go to the English Football League and England's pyramid system.

Quinn used a calculation formula to estimate Manchester City FC's points gained from breaches under high, medium, and low scenarios. Assuming the most conservative estimate has greater legal merit, he proposes that Manchester City FC cost Arsenal a Champions League spot in 2016/17 and had similar effects on Manchester United in 2015/16.

Despite being an Everton fan, Quinn notes that his calculations also support Liverpool winning the Premier League in 2013/14. He estimates Manchester City FC should be deducted 5 points, which would have allowed Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool to overtake Manchester City FC and win their 21st English top-flight title. Southampton, West Ham United, and Chelsea would also move up one position in the table during these five seasons.

The Premier League has accused Manchester City FC of concealing £900 million through "fictitious" transactions over nine years. Manchester City FC was found guilty of 114 out of the initial 115 charges, and the total number of charges has now risen to 130, divided into six major categories.

The period from 2013/14 to 2017/18 was selected because Quinn believes the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules came into effect in 2013. Before that, Manchester City FC's owner could inject additional funds directly without violating the rules. Manchester City FC's problem is that the related funds were disguised as sponsorship revenue.

The second part of the plan is that Manchester City FC must operate under additional restrictions for five seasons under the Premier League's new financial regulations regarding the team cost ratio. Leading clubs participating in European competitions can allocate 70% of revenue to team costs, which primarily include wages, player amortization, and agent fees.

Quinn recommends reducing this ratio for Manchester City FC to 50% for five years, corresponding to the 2013/14 to 2017/18 period. Based on Manchester City FC's projected revenue, this would reduce the annual team budget by approximately £150 million, or 25%.

This could mean Manchester City FC would have to sell star players like Haaland and Enzo Fernández while reducing wages and other expenses. Over five years, the budget difference between a 50% and 70% team cost ratio would be £883 million, close to the £921 million in "fictitious" funding the independent disciplinary panel identified.

Quinn believes that even with these restrictions, Manchester City FC could still compete for places 3-6 in the Premier League, which could become a focal point for opposition from rival clubs. If Manchester City FC can continue to qualify for the Champions League and is not expelled from the Premier League in any season, whether this constitutes fair punishment remains contested.

The article notes that almost everyone agrees those responsible for Manchester City FC's breaches should face severe penalties. The panel's decision not only identified systematic and intentional misconduct but also identified individuals with knowledge, though their names were concealed in the initial findings.

Additionally, multiple Manchester City FC witnesses are alleged to have provided false information and even lied outright. The three-member panel accepted arguments that one person, believed to be owner Sheikh Mansour, was unaware of these financial operations.

Quinn believes those who knew the truth should face sanctions under Premier League rules, including appropriate penalties from the FA and/or an independent football regulator, which could include lengthy bans or even forcing Sheikh Mansour to sell the club.

The article notes that Manchester City FC's position in responding to the decision throughout this lengthy process has been firm. If the club admits guilt and senior officials face consequences, there must be significant changes to Manchester City FC's approach. This becomes more complicated if the individuals involved are eventually found to hold positions in the Abu Dhabi government and the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE has threatened to withdraw investment from the UK following the Manchester City FC decision. The article highlights how this underscores the phenomenon of "sports-washing," where power and influence are gained through investments in high-profile teams and activities. Individual penalties are outside the scope of the current panel, but the panel has authority to award compensation settlements.

Premier League rules state that beyond sports sanctions such as fines, point deductions, and expulsion, the Premier League can impose "such other sanctions as it deems appropriate," which could include the five-year team cost reduction plan Quinn proposes. Quinn does not claim there is a perfect solution, but his proposal presents new ideas on how to resolve the Manchester City FC case.

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