Published: 09:20 BST, 6 September 2026 | Updated: 10:04 BST, 6 September 2026
Manchester City's former chairman David Bernstein says his old club's transfer spending while their 115 charges case continues in silence 'makes a mockery' of the Premier League's regulation of the top division.
Bernstein, who was City chairman from 1998 until 2003 and served as Football Association chair 2011-13, today attacked the lack of an outcome and questioned the Premier League's handling of the case.
City, who spent £440million in the transfer window and equalled the British transfer record signing £125m Enzo Fernandez, kicked off this season still without resolution to their infamous financial charges case.
City were charged with 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules in February 2023 and a 12-week hearing concluded in December 2024 – but an independent commission is still yet to publish its ruling on the 'hugely complex case'.
The club strenuously deny the allegations. The verdict could see City exonerated or facing historic penalties.
Now Bernstein, 83, has joined the growing chorus of criticism of the delays – after Premier League chief executive Richard Masters admitted a verdict 'has taken longer than expected'.
Erling Haaland celebrates taking Manchester City to the top of the Premier League again
This is the fourth season to begin under the cloud of the City 115 charges announcement.
Writing in the Sunday Times, Bernstein said: 'The fact they have done this (transfer spend) against the background of the 115 Premier League charges is extraordinary and makes a mockery of regulation in England's top division, supposedly the best-run league in the world.
'Why the league decided to prosecute all 115 alleged offences is a mystery to me. Surely common sense (often in short supply) would point to simplifying the process by taking a handful of the bigger, clearer issues and pursuing these as specimen cases.
'Justice delayed is justice denied, and the longer this process is drawn out, the more the resulting implications and challenges are compounded.'
It was a bumper summer for City after the exit of long-serving manager Pep Guardiola. They also signed Elliot Anderson (£116m), Ayyoub Bouaddi (£86m), Iliman Ndiaye (£60m), Allan and Geronimo Rulli.
Masters has claimed that City's ongoing 115 charges saga is 'not necessarily top of the list' when it comes to his conversations with clubs.
David Bernstein was City chairman from 1998 until 2003 and served as FA chair 2011-13
