Italy coach Roberto Mancini reportedly had a secret agreement with Manchester City to receive double his stated wages during his four-year spell at the club.
The Times journalist Martyn Ziegler details how the English giants have been charged by the Premier League for over 100 alleged breaches of financial regulation following a four-year investigation, with the various breaches dating back to the 2009-10 season, Mancini’s first year at the helm.
Manchester City are at risk of being handed serious penalties, ranging from fines and point deductions to possible expulsion from the Premier League.
Charges against the Citizens include their alleged secret salary agreement with Mancini during his four years at the club from 2009 to 2013.
Documents published by Der Spiegel reportedly showed that the Italian coach had a shadow consulting contract with Abu Dhabi-based club Al Jazira, who quietly paid him millions over the four-year spell.
Mancini’s first Manchester City contract saw him earn a base salary of £1.45m net per season, but he was also allegedly paid £1.75m per year by Al Jazira, which required him to coach at the club for four days a year.
Der Spiegel released emails seemingly showing how Mancini’s company, Italy International Services, issued quarterly invoices to Manchester City, who then sent the money to City owner Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group, which in turn passed it onto Al Jazira to pay the coach.
When asked about the contract with Al Jazira in the past, the Italian coach declined to comment.