Four rivals saw Man City verdict early, under NDA, says Telegraph

📰 Manchester City's guilty verdict was shared first with the four clubs that have reserved the right to claim damages, according to a new report. 📌 Key points 🗞️ The Telegraph reported the early notification on 7 October. 🏟️ The four clubs were Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham. 📧 The other 15 clubs received the verdict by email afterwards. 🤐 Executives at the four had to sign an NDA to view it. 💷 All four reserved the right to claim damages from City in 2024. 📝 What happened 🗞️ According to the Telegraph's Sam Wallace, the Premier League contacted Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham before emailing the verdict in the City case to the other 15 clubs. Executives at the four clubs had to sign a non-disclosure agreement before they could view it. 💷 The reason is potential compensation. In 2024 each of the four notified City that they would reserve the right to seek damages if the club were found guilty, shortly before a six-year limit dating from Der Spiegel's revelations in November 2018 came into force. ⚖️ The notices do not mean claims will definitely be brought, nor that any would succeed. Any claim would go through Premier League arbitration rather than the courts. 🤐 None of the four clubs would comment to the Telegraph, and the Premier League also declined to comment. 📊 By the numbers • City found guilty: 114 of 115 charges • Period covered: 2009-10 to 2017-18 • Possible Tottenham claim: around £120m (ESPN analysis) • City appeal lodged: 1 October 🔭 Why it matters If City lose their appeal, claims from rivals could follow on top of any sanction. ESPN noted Liverpool twice finished a point behind City in title races, while Tottenham could point to seasons in which they missed out on Champions League revenue. City have appealed, citing "clear material errors of law, principle and fact", and travel to Liverpool on 11 October in the meantime.