Several Premier League clubs are reportedly calling for a fresh investigation into Manchester City, nearly three years after the league brought 115 financial charges against the club, which is currently appealing the ruling

A number of Premier League clubs are said to be demanding a fresh investigation into Manchester City. In September, the league confirmed that City had been found guilty of 114 out of 115 charges levelled against it.

City has lodged an appeal against the ruling, maintaining that it possesses evidence to exonerate it of the allegations. The original inquiry focused on Premier League financial rule breaches between 2009 and 2018, with further accusations of obstructing the investigation.

It has now come to light that certain Premier League clubs are pressing the division to scrutinise City's accounts from 2018 onwards, in order to determine whether any additional regulations have been violated. Nevertheless, there is notable reluctance among some chief executives within the Premier League, with clubs appearing increasingly split on the matter.

According to The Independent, certain officials have suggested that launching a second inquiry into the past eight seasons would place the sport in an awkward "dilemma". A pivotal aspect of the independent commission's verdict centered on the manner in which City employed "sham" sponsorship deals disguised as owner funding.

With these factors in mind, numerous executives are reportedly questioning whether the club had genuinely abandoned this practice in 2018, with one source apparently asking, "What changed overnight?"

The Independent Commission also concluded that City and its Abu Dhabi-based sponsors were "related parties" and, assuming these relationships remained intact, many believe this could lay the groundwork for further charges in subsequent seasons, reports the Express.

However, with the current saga still unresolved, more than three years after the Premier League first published its allegations against City, there are those who feel that embarking on another protracted investigation could prove damaging to the sport. Discontent surrounding the ongoing uncertainty over City's situation is already beginning to surface.

No sanctions have yet been handed down to the club, and there are growing concerns that it will contest any punishment levied against it, potentially pushing the matter even further into the future.

Many feel it would be far more beneficial for the Premier League to bring the charges to a definitive conclusion. From the 2017-18 season onwards, Pep Guardiola oversaw one of the most dominant sides in Premier League history.

He claimed five of his six Premier League titles during the eight-year period that certain executives have called into question. While some are in favor of launching a second inquiry, others urge a more measured approach, preferring to allow the first investigation to run its course.

It has also been reported that some clubs believe the prospect of a second investigation could serve as a valuable bargaining chip, should City continue to drag out proceedings.

Given that the evidence underpinning the original inquiry derived from a series of Football Leaks, first brought to light by Der Spiegel in 2018 — covering the period between 2009 and 2018 — there are those who question whether a comparable body of evidence sufficient to prompt a fresh investigation is likely to emerge.

A ruling on City's sanctions and appeal process, meanwhile, is anticipated in the New Year, with potential punishments spanning from a points deduction to a hefty fine and expulsion from the Premier League.