Manchester City have spent millions in recent transfer windows amid the wait for a possible points deduction from their ongoing legal battle with the Premier League

Manchester City continue to live under a cloud that has refused to clear for years, yet inside the club there is a feeling that life must go on, business must continue, and football cannot be paused forever. Four years after the Premier League first dropped the bombshell of 115 alleged financial breaches, there is still no verdict, no punishment, no clarity, and no end in sight. During that time, City have continued to win trophies, compete at the highest level, and spend large sums of money in the transfer market. To outsiders, it looks provocative. To those inside the club, it is simply normal behaviour for a club that insists it has done nothing wrong.

The charges against Manchester City relate to alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules between 2009 and 2018. That period covers the early years of the Abu Dhabi ownership and the rapid rise of City from a mid-table club to a global powerhouse. The Premier League accuses City of failing to provide accurate financial information, including sponsorship revenue and managerial payments, and of failing to cooperate with investigations. City have strongly denied all allegations from the very beginning and have insisted they have a comprehensive body of evidence to clear their name.

The hearing into the charges concluded more than a year ago, yet there has been no ruling. In December, City published their annual financial report and confirmed that, as of that date, there had been no resolution. This week marked four years since the charges were first announced, and still nobody knows when a verdict will arrive. The length of time has become one of the most frustrating aspects of the entire case, not just for City, but for the wider football world.

In the meantime, City have continued to act like one of Europe’s elite clubs in the transfer market. Over the last two windows alone, they have spent hundreds of millions of pounds reshaping their squad. In the summer, they brought in Tijjani Reijnders to strengthen midfield, Rayan Ait-Nouri to add pace and balance at left-back, Rayan Cherki to inject creativity and flair, Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the goalkeeping position, and James Trafford as part of long-term planning. In January, they went even further, spending more than £50 million to sign Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi, two players seen as immediate upgrades with room to grow.

To rival fans and critics, this spending feels like a slap in the face. They argue that a club accused of such serious financial breaches should be more cautious, more restrained, or even restricted while waiting for a verdict. Some claim City’s continued spending makes a mockery of the Premier League’s rules and sends the wrong message to other clubs who try to operate within strict financial limits. The anger is loud, constant, and fuelled by years of suspicion and resentment.

But according to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, the reality inside Manchester City is very different from the noise outside. Speaking after conversations with people at the club, Maguire explained that City see no reason to change how they operate while the case remains unresolved. The guiding principle, he says, is simple: innocent until proven guilty. From City’s perspective, they have not been found guilty of anything, so why should they behave as if they have?

Maguire explained that those inside the club believe they are entitled to conduct their business in the same way as any other Premier League side. If City truly believe they have done nothing wrong, then freezing spending or weakening the squad would be an admission of guilt they strongly reject. They are competing in the Premier League, Champions League, and domestic cups, and they believe they have a responsibility to their players, staff, and fans to remain competitive.

This stance is not unique to Manchester City. Maguire pointed out that other clubs facing charges have continued to buy players while investigations drag on. Chelsea, for example, have faced dozens of charges from the Football Association in the past and continued spending heavily. Leicester City have also faced Premier League charges and have been waiting months for outcomes, yet they too carried on with normal operations. The reality, Maguire says, is that football justice moves painfully slowly.

The slow pace of the process has created a strange situation where City exist in a kind of legal limbo. Every transfer they complete, every contract they renew, and every trophy they lift is viewed through the lens of the charges. Supporters of rival clubs see conspiracy and arrogance. City fans see persecution and double standards. In the middle, there is a legal process that seems unable to deliver timely answers.

Inside the club, there is an acceptance that if they are eventually found guilty, the punishment will be severe. Points deductions, heavy fines, transfer restrictions, or even relegation have all been discussed as possible outcomes. Maguire himself suggested that if City are found guilty, many of their top players would likely be sold. Such punishments would reshape the club overnight and mark one of the most dramatic moments in English football history.

But until that moment arrives, City are planning for the present and the future. The signings of players like Semenyo and Guehi are not short-term gambles but part of a wider strategy to keep the squad fresh, competitive, and adaptable. City know that football moves quickly. Standing still is not an option, especially when rivals are constantly strengthening.

There is also a strong belief at City that they have been unfairly judged in the court of public opinion. Long before any verdict, many fans and commentators have already decided the club is guilty. For City, this has created a siege mentality. They believe they are fighting not just legal charges, but a narrative that has been shaped against them for years. Continuing to spend and succeed is, in their eyes, a form of resistance.

The Premier League, meanwhile, remains silent. There are no updates, no timelines, and no explanations for the delays. That silence has only increased frustration across the league. Clubs want clarity. Fans want closure. Even those who dislike City want a conclusion, one way or the other. The longer the case drags on, the more damage it does to the credibility of the competition.

For Manchester City, the uncertainty has become part of daily life. Players are asked about it in interviews. Managers are questioned in press conferences. Every defeat is linked to it, and every victory is questioned because of it. Yet within the dressing room and the boardroom, the focus remains on football.

The January signings of Semenyo and Guehi are good examples of this mindset. Both players were pursued because City believed they would improve the squad immediately. Semenyo brings power, pace, and versatility in attack, while Guehi adds leadership and composure in defence. These were not panic buys or symbolic gestures. They were calculated moves by a club that plans years ahead, not months.

Critics argue that this confidence is exactly the problem. They say City act as if they are untouchable, protected by wealth and lawyers. Supporters counter that City are simply exercising their rights. Until a verdict is reached, they argue, there is no legal or moral reason to change behaviour.

The longer the case continues, the more likely it is that whatever outcome eventually arrives will feel unsatisfying. If City are cleared, many will claim justice was bought. If they are punished, City fans will argue the process was flawed and delayed deliberately. Either way, trust in football governance has already been damaged.

What is clear is that Manchester City have chosen their path. They will not pause, retreat, or apologise for operating as a top club while waiting for judgment. They believe the law is on their side, and until proven otherwise, they will keep building, buying, selling, and competing.

For now, the Premier League season goes on. Matches are played, goals are scored, and trophies are chased. But hanging over it all is the unresolved question of the 115 charges. It is a shadow that refuses to fade, a story that never ends, and a reminder that modern football is as much about boardrooms and courtrooms as it is about what happens on the pitch.

Manchester City know that one day the waiting will end. When it does, everything could change in an instant. Until then, they are choosing to live as if that day may never come, carrying on with business as usual, spending millions, chasing success, and daring the football world to stop them.