Barcelona and Real Madrid on alert for possible sanction against Manchester City

The Manchester City transfer market has been found guilty of 114 out of 115 charges related to Premier League financial regulations, as reported on this September 25, 2026, and the club is preparing an appeal. The future sanction is yet to be determined, but both Real Madrid and Barcelona are closely monitoring the possible impact on the squad.

The verdict comes from an independent commission following charges filed in February 2023. The accusations span over a decade of financial information, while the Premier League maintains that the process remains confidential.

Manchester City: a pending sanction

The crucial point now is not the verdict but its consequences. David Ornstein, a journalist from 'The Athletic', explains that the commission still needs to determine the appropriate measures, and Manchester City hopes to appeal the decision.

Therefore, there is currently no points deduction, expulsion, specific fine, or officially communicated market restriction. Any sporting scenario beyond the current verdict would, for now, be a pending hypothesis awaiting resolution.

This moment comes after a summer of heavy investment. City signed Enzo Fernandez for 145 million euros from Chelsea and further bolstered their squad with other high-cost deals, while Rodri moved to Barcelona.

This context explains why a potential sanction could have repercussions on future planning. The club has assembled a squad with long-term contracts and significant investments, so any economic limitation would need to be assessed once the final decision is known.

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Manchester City found guilty on virtually all charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial regulations. #MCFC expected to appeal against verdict issued by independent commission. Sanctions undecided, process ongoing @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/Muxqp4beK9

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) September 25, 2026

Real Madrid and Barcelona already aware of several City targets

Real Madrid has maintained market connections with players currently at Manchester City. Erling Haaland, aged 26, remains linked with the white club after AS reported in July that the Madrid interest in the Norwegian forward persists.

Another case is Josko Gvardiol, a 24-year-old defender. The Croatian was offered to Real Madrid in May and subsequently renewed with City until 2031, eliminating one of the avenues that had emerged during the market.

Barcelona has also had direct dealings with Manchester City. Rodri, aged 30, left the English side this summer to sign with Barça until 2030, after the Catalan club made an offer close to 50 million euros and City initially valued his departure at around 65 million.

The situation of Rayan Cherki belongs to another market moment: City opted for the Frenchman after considering various options during their squad reconstruction, and currently, the attacking midfielder has 2 goals and 2 assists in his first three Premier League games.

Enzo Fernandez completes the list of recent names linked with the market: the Argentine arrived at City from Chelsea for 145 million euros and signed until 2031, so any potential sanction would first impact the club's institutional and economic situation before automatically resulting in departures.

The next step will be to know the content of the sanction and, more importantly, when it will be final after the announced appeal. Until then, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Barcelona will continue to be part of a potential market in which the players from the English champions may only truly become available if the final measures alter their planning.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Barcelona y Real Madrid, atentos a una posible sanción al Manchester City