Manchester City avoid Fifa transfer ban despite breaking rules on signing young players
City still subject to investigations from Uefa, Premier League and FA
Manchester City have avoided a Fifa transfer ban despite being found to have broken rules regarding the signing of young players.
City have been fined 370,000 Swiss francs (£314,725) by world football’s governing body after admitting to breaching regulations on the international transfer of under-18s.
The Premier League champions faced being hit with a year-long ban on signings, similar to the punishment Chelsea received from Fifa for the same offence earlier this year.
But in a statement released on Tuesday afternoon, Fifa announced City would only receive a financial sanction having “accepted its responsibility” in the case.
City remain under investigation by Uefa, who are looking into their compliance with their Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. A ban from next season’s Champions League is a possible punishment.
West Ham vs Man City player ratings
Show all 22
West Ham vs Man City player ratings
1/22 <b>West Ham:</b> Lukasz Fabianski - 5 out of 10
Was brilliant for West Ham last season, but looked a little bit wobbly an indecisive against City. Poor footwork put him in awkward positions.
Action Images via Reuters
2/22 Ryan Fredericks - 5
Rarely had the chance to venture forward and spent the majority of the game going a reasonable job on Zinchenko
Getty Images
3/22 Fabio Balbuena - 5
Did not offer a great deal of assurance that West Ham have found a good centre back partnership. De Bruyne eased past him like he wasn’t there en route to setting up Sterling to score.
REUTERS
4/22 Issa Diop - 5
Could have done better at the front post to clear Walker’s low cross to Jesus for the first goal. Did not look especially set throughout.
Getty Images
5/22 Aaron Cresswell - 3
Struggled against Walker and Mahrez with little help. Was always second-best in dangerous one-on-one situations.
Getty Images
6/22 Jack Wilshere - 5
Did not get a huge amount of time on the ball and rarely made a huge difference in the final third.
REUTERS
7/22 Declan Rice - 5
Picked up from where he left off last season. Brilliant at breaking up play and was useful going forward.
Getty Images
8/22 Felipe Anderson - 6
Showed glimpses of good play throughout, but did nothing to set the game alight.
REUTERS
9/22 Manuel Lanzini - 7
After a forgettable season ruined by injuries, Lanzini started really well and was always lively in dangerous areas. He looks like he has a great relationship with Haller, something West Ham fans should be excited by.
AFP/Getty Images
10/22 John Stones - 6
Not given the greatest amount of work to do, but did everything to a decent standard.
EPA
11/22 Sebastien Haller - 7
Looks like one Haller of a signing. His hold up play was brilliant throughout and he was a handful for City defenders.
AFP/Getty Images
12/22 <b>Manchester City:</b> Ederson - 8
Produced a brilliant double save to deny Hernandez and Lanzini from close range using instinctive reactions.
REUTERS
13/22 Kyle Walker - 7
Was brilliant in attacking areas and created the first goal with an Olympic-like run beyond the defence.
REUTERS
14/22 Aymeric Laporte - 7
Impressed when tested by Haller.
Action Images via Reuters
15/22 John Stones - 6
Not given the greatest amount of work to do, but did everything to a decent standard.
EPA
16/22 Oleksandr Zinchenko - 6
Kept the defence on his toes when he got forward with some decent runs, but they did not result in anything profitable.
EPA
17/22 Kevin De Bruyne - 7
Was short of his best but still produced a really good display. Drifted past players with the ball and always made the right decision in the final third.
AFP/Getty Images
18/22 Rodri - 6
Fernandinho’s shoes take some filling and Rodri will quickly find that out. He was mostly good on the ball but was caught in possession in dangerous areas a couple of times, one which resulted in a VAR check for a penalty to see if he fouled Lanzini in the box afterwards.
REUTERS
19/22 David Silva - 6
City’s newly-appointed captain had a quiet match before being brought off in the second half.
EPA
20/22 Riyad Mahrez - 7
Will get a lot of game time following Sane’s injury. Started the season really well with some very nice runs from the right. Won the penalty in the second half.
AP
21/22 Gabriel Jesus - 7
Picked ahead of Aguero and justified the decision with a goal in the first half.
PA
22/22 Raheem Sterling - 9
Began the campaign with two goals and was involved in lots of City’s best one-touch play. His runs from deep had West Ham scrambling and were key to his brilliant hat-trick
Getty Images
1/22 <b>West Ham:</b> Lukasz Fabianski - 5 out of 10
Was brilliant for West Ham last season, but looked a little bit wobbly an indecisive against City. Poor footwork put him in awkward positions.
Action Images via Reuters
2/22 Ryan Fredericks - 5
Rarely had the chance to venture forward and spent the majority of the game going a reasonable job on Zinchenko
Getty Images
3/22 Fabio Balbuena - 5
Did not offer a great deal of assurance that West Ham have found a good centre back partnership. De Bruyne eased past him like he wasn’t there en route to setting up Sterling to score.
REUTERS
4/22 Issa Diop - 5
Could have done better at the front post to clear Walker’s low cross to Jesus for the first goal. Did not look especially set throughout.
Getty Images
5/22 Aaron Cresswell - 3
Struggled against Walker and Mahrez with little help. Was always second-best in dangerous one-on-one situations.
Getty Images
6/22 Jack Wilshere - 5
Did not get a huge amount of time on the ball and rarely made a huge difference in the final third.
REUTERS
7/22 Declan Rice - 5
Picked up from where he left off last season. Brilliant at breaking up play and was useful going forward.
Getty Images
8/22 Felipe Anderson - 6
Showed glimpses of good play throughout, but did nothing to set the game alight.
REUTERS
9/22 Manuel Lanzini - 7
After a forgettable season ruined by injuries, Lanzini started really well and was always lively in dangerous areas. He looks like he has a great relationship with Haller, something West Ham fans should be excited by.
AFP/Getty Images
10/22 John Stones - 6
Not given the greatest amount of work to do, but did everything to a decent standard.
EPA
11/22 Sebastien Haller - 7
Looks like one Haller of a signing. His hold up play was brilliant throughout and he was a handful for City defenders.
AFP/Getty Images
12/22 <b>Manchester City:</b> Ederson - 8
Produced a brilliant double save to deny Hernandez and Lanzini from close range using instinctive reactions.
REUTERS
13/22 Kyle Walker - 7
Was brilliant in attacking areas and created the first goal with an Olympic-like run beyond the defence.
REUTERS
14/22 Aymeric Laporte - 7
Impressed when tested by Haller.
Action Images via Reuters
15/22 John Stones - 6
Not given the greatest amount of work to do, but did everything to a decent standard.
EPA
16/22 Oleksandr Zinchenko - 6
Kept the defence on his toes when he got forward with some decent runs, but they did not result in anything profitable.
EPA
17/22 Kevin De Bruyne - 7
Was short of his best but still produced a really good display. Drifted past players with the ball and always made the right decision in the final third.
AFP/Getty Images
18/22 Rodri - 6
Fernandinho’s shoes take some filling and Rodri will quickly find that out. He was mostly good on the ball but was caught in possession in dangerous areas a couple of times, one which resulted in a VAR check for a penalty to see if he fouled Lanzini in the box afterwards.
REUTERS
19/22 David Silva - 6
City’s newly-appointed captain had a quiet match before being brought off in the second half.
EPA
20/22 Riyad Mahrez - 7
Will get a lot of game time following Sane’s injury. Started the season really well with some very nice runs from the right. Won the penalty in the second half.
AP
21/22 Gabriel Jesus - 7
Picked ahead of Aguero and justified the decision with a goal in the first half.
PA
22/22 Raheem Sterling - 9
Began the campaign with two goals and was involved in lots of City’s best one-touch play. His runs from deep had West Ham scrambling and were key to his brilliant hat-trick
Getty Images
The Premier League are also investigating City’s recruitment of academy players and FFP compliance, while the Football Association is looking into the signing of Jadon Sancho as a 14-year-old from Watford.
But City have now escaped the prospect of a blanket ban on signing players, in what will come as a great relief to manager Pep Guardiola.
In a statement, City said: “The club accepts responsibility for the breaches which arose as a result of misinterpretation of the regulations in question.
“All of the breaches occurred before December 2016 when guidance on the interpretation of the provisions was issued, since which date Manchester City has been fully compliant.
“The club regards highly and shares Fifa’s determination to ensure the protection of minors in football and has cooperated fully with the investigation which has been transparent and evidenced based at all times.”
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