Several Premier League clubs believe that should Manchester City's appeal be rejected, the club should face both retrospective penalties for past financial breaches and restrictions moving forward. This is according to sources cited by BBC Sport.
An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to financial rule violations in the Premier League from the 2009/10 season through to the 2017/18 season. The club has opted to challenge this verdict.
Reports from BBC Sport suggest that among administrators from several clubs, there is a consensus that any punishment should take into account the period during which violations occurred, as well as impose restrictions on City's operations in the coming years.
However, there is no unified perspective on the specifics of potential sanctions. At least four clubs hold the view that a points deduction, which could jeopardise City's Premier League status, would be insufficient given the extent of the breaches.
One club representative proposed that Manchester City should be stripped of titles won during the investigated period, emphasising that these trophies need not be awarded to other teams but could remain vacant.
Despite this, earlier reports from BBC Sport indicate a lack of widespread enthusiasm among other Premier League clubs for stripping Manchester City of their titles.
Another potential measure under discussion is to distribute any points deduction across multiple seasons. Club officials fear that a penalty in a single season might allow City to bounce back to the Premier League quickly.
A multi-year ban on registering new players is also being considered, which could complicate City's attempts at a swift return to the top flight across several transfer windows.
One club official described the prospect of Manchester City being able to conduct transfers in the January window while ongoing legal proceedings are active as 'strange, almost absurd'.
Additionally, discussions have revolved around the possibility of financial compensation to other clubs. One such proposal includes a tariff system where past league standings of City would be recalibrated with respect to the points deduction, enabling competing clubs to receive financial compensation based on their prospective placements without City's infringements.
As per BBC Sport, Premier League clubs are expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of information regarding the timeline for the appeal process and the subsequent penalty phases. Nonetheless, sources acknowledge the difficult position the league finds itself in due to ongoing judicial proceedings.
Manchester City will face Liverpool in their first match following the verdict announcement at Anfield on Sunday. Manager Enzo Maresca is expected to hold a team meeting with his players upon their return from international duties on Thursday.
Merseyside police have confirmed a comprehensive security operation will be in place on match day, while Liverpool have stated that no additional measures are planned, with preparations for the game proceeding as normal.
