Man City found guilty: Will Enzo Maresca be forced to shelve January transfer plans?

Manchester City are reportedly unlikely to enter the transfer market during the winter window.

Enzo Maresca's side currently sit top of the Premier League table after starting the campaign with five successive wins.

However, their performances on the pitch have been overshadowed by the development on Friday afternoon, with a report emerging which claimed that Man City have been found guilty of breaching 114 Premier League financial regulations.

An appeal by Man City, who have always stated their innocence in the case, will now be compiled, albeit it unclear when that appeal will be heard.

Given the magnitude of the case, it is plausible that the case could drag into 2027.

© Iconsport / SUSA

How will Man City approach winter transfer window?

According to Football Insider, Man City are not expected to be active when the transfer market reopens in January.

If Maresca was to strengthen his squad, it would likely come in a defensive area, with right-back remaining an area of concern.

Nevertheless, the current plan of the Italian appears to be to continue with the players that he currently has in his squad.

At this point in time, it is unclear whether that stance has been influenced by the club's off-the-field issues.

© Iconsport / PA images

Will players still want to sign for Man City in 2027?

Should there be no further developments with Man City's legal case with the Premier League heading into 2027, it would naturally leave a question mark over whether any player would entertain a move to the Etihad Stadium.

As long as the threat of Premier League expulsion remains, it feels logical that no player would want to sign without specific clauses in their contract.

The current assumption is that the legal case will have concluded by the summer transfer window. Man City and the Premier League will also want to bring an end to matters as soon as possible.

Maresca will not be left short of players at any point, however. When including players used in the EFL Cup, he is already operating with a 26-man squad.