Manchester City's protracted legal battle with the Premier League is far from over — and those close to the case believe the saga could run for several more years before any definitive conclusion is reached.

Sky Sports News understands that proceedings are now moving into the appeal phase, following reports that an independent tribunal had reached decisions on the 115 charges against the club for alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules.

A history of legal battles

City's entanglement with football's governing bodies stretches back 12 years. In 2014, the club paid a £49 million fine to UEFA for violating financial fair play rules. Six years later, they were handed a two-year ban from European competition and fined €30 million for further breaches — a punishment that was overturned at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where City were cleared of disguising owner funding as sponsorship income.

That outcome at CAS is likely to fuel confidence among City supporters that a Premier League appeal — heard by a fresh three-person panel — could produce a similarly favourable result.

What happens if the appeal fails

Should the appeal go against City, the club would have no recourse to CAS in this instance. However, it is widely considered likely that the club's ownership would pursue the matter through the High Court in pursuit of full exoneration.