Gary Lineker, the former England captain turned broadcaster, has called on Manchester City to cooperate fully with the authorities and accept whatever sanctions the Premier League's independent commission ultimately hands down.

Speaking at the Leaders Week sports industry conference held at Stamford Bridge, Lineker was candid about the damage the ongoing financial misconduct case is inflicting on English football as a whole.

Lineker's plea for the good of the game

"Obviously it looks really bad for Manchester City, it really does. And bad for the game," Lineker told attendees. "I'd love to see Man City now just own it and just say, 'OK, we got it wrong.'"

He went further, arguing that a forthright admission from the club would serve both its own reputation and the broader health of the sport. "'But for the good of the game, we'll accept it, we'll accept whatever punishment comes our way and we'll carry on.' I think that would be a blessing and save their face a little bit at the moment, though that doesn't look very likely," he added.

Lineker also expressed empathy for those who bear no responsibility for the club's alleged rule breaches. "It is damaging — and I feel for their fans, and I feel for their players," he said.

Title stripping a real possibility

When the question of stripping Manchester City of Premier League titles won during the period under investigation was put to him, Lineker did not rule it out. "I wouldn't be surprised if it goes down that route," he acknowledged. "But who suffers from that? The players and the fans."

Manchester City are preparing to pursue legal appeals as the case moves behind closed doors. Pressure continues to mount across the footballing world over how governing bodies should handle the most severe sporting penalties at their disposal.