Kyle Walker has expressed the view that the Premier League holds no power to strip Manchester City of their titles. The defender, who departed City during the previous year, made the remarks in an interview with a prominent television outlet, adding that the situation did not reflect particularly well on anyone involved.
Out of 130 rule-breach allegations brought against City by the Premier League, adjudicators upheld more than 100. Those at the top of the club deny any wrongdoing and have filed a formal appeal against the ruling.
No penalties have been formally announced, though the range of measures under consideration spans points deductions, financial penalties, and removal from the league entirely. Questions about whether the club — facing allegations that roughly £900 million moved through transactions outside approved financial frameworks during the nine-year window from 2009 to 2018 — might be required to return honours accumulated across that span have circulated among football observers.
Walker's time at the Etihad, which began with a £50 million switch from Tottenham in 2017, brought him six top-flight league titles, a Champions League triumph, and a collection of further honours across domestic competition. On a personal level, Walker described sharing numerous trophy-winning seasons with his former teammates — memories that, regardless of future outcomes, belong to those who lived through them.
"Whatever happens next is in the hands of the appeal process," Walker said. The 36-year-old, now lining up for Burnley, added his voice to that of former manager Pep Guardiola in standing by the club's record during that period. He noted that the matter remains under appeal, and that weighing in publicly on the legal proceedings would likely serve neither his own position nor those of the other parties involved.
In a written statement, Guardiola, aged 55, conveyed to Manchester City supporters around the world that his commitment to the club remains as strong as it has ever been. He expressed unwavering loyalty to the club, its owner, chairman, Ferran Soriano, the players, the staff, Enzo Maresca, and the supporter base, and offered an assurance that the path ahead would be navigated collectively.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak addressed the speculation directly, telling those gathered that despite the rush to draw conclusions and the considerable noise surrounding the club, the club's position had not shifted. He noted that past difficulties had been met and worked through together, and that certain individuals had voiced a desire to disrupt the club's forward trajectory. Soriano also addressed the Premier League's guilty verdict, stating that the club would not allow that opening to arise.
On Sunday, City face a trip to Liverpool, a club that currently holds the Premier League title. Four dates structure the appeal's path from submission to resolution: the window to lodge the appeal closed on 2 October; the process is to wrap up by 25 December, twelve weeks from lodgement; a hearing of up to five days could take place between 14 and 18 December; and the commission faces a 17 January deadline to hand down its final ruling.
