Manchester City hearing for Premier League charges set for Sept. 16

Manchester City's hearing over their alleged 115 breaches of Premier League rules is set to start on Sept. 16.

Sources have told ESPN that the independent panel hearing is anticipated to last approximately two months with the aim of a final verdict being reached -- including any potential appeal -- by the end of the 2024-25 season.

Reports had initially suggested the trial date would be later in the year but there has been a push to bring the case forward to begin next month.

Sources said Sept. 16 has been identified as the probable start date barring any last-minute complications.

The Premier League charged City on 115 counts of financial regulations in February 2023 after initially opening an investigation five years earlier.

The charges related to a 14-season period from 2009-10 onwards and comprise 54 counts of failing to provide accurate information, 14 counts of failing to provide accurate details for player and manager payments, seven counts of breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR), five counts of failing to comply with UEFA regulations including financial fair play (FFP) and 35 counts of failing to cooperate with Premier League investigations from 2018 onwards.

City strongly deny all the charges, and claimed in a statement released in response to the initial charges that they have "irrefutable evidence" to support their position and "look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all."

City have already successfully fought legal action from UEFA after German newspaper Der Spiegel published allegations of wrongdoing in November 2018.

They were initially banned from UEFA's competitions in February 2020 but that decision was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) later that year.