Following a four-year investigation, the Citizens have been charged by the Premier League with over 100 alleged breaches of financial rules from 2009 to 2018.
While City have vowed to clear their name, if found guilty punishments range from a fine, to points deductions to expulsion from the top-flight altogether.
And even if they get off lightly, the whole debacle is another reputational blow to Pep Guardiola’s side, and as a result they may think twice before spending big on a new player or two in the near-future.
This could very well have ramifications on Guardiola’s summer transfer plans, which The Times reporting that Chilwell is high on the manager’ shortlist alongside England teammate Jude Bellingham.
Left-back is the area that City need to strengthen in the most following the sudden departure of Joao Cancelo to Bayern Munich, with Sergio Gomez the only natural player in that position left in the squad.
However, Guardiola does not seem to have faith in the 22-year-old who is yet to make a Premier League start and hasn’t played in the top-flight at all since October.
Instead, centre-back Nathan Ake and promising right-back Rico Lewis have been used instead but they can be easily upgraded, though Chilwell will be a difficult target to acquire.
The 26-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge from Leicester in 2020 for £50million and still has two years left to run on his deal, and though he has struggled with a lot of injuries, when fit he has proven to be one of Chelsea’s best players.
In addition to left-back, Guardiola wants another midfielder this summer, with Ilkay Gundogan’s contract up and Bernardo Silva open to leaving the Etihad.
Dortmund’s Bellingham is the obvious choice but is already highly sought after and given his price tag is likely to be over £100m could prove problematic given the financial breaches.
A slightly cheaper option would be West Ham’s Declan Rice who is already part of a big transfer battle between Chelsea and Arsenal.
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