Arabic version: كين يقول إن ميداليات سيتي ستكون بلا قيمة

According to BBC News, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane said he would throw his medals “in the bin” if he were a Manchester City player after the club was found guilty of charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial rules.

The Premier League confirmed City had been found guilty of flouting rules over a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018 through “sham” contracts with commercial partners that secretly funnelled more than £830m into football operations. City continue to deny wrongdoing and plan to appeal. Sanctions have not yet been announced.

City won eight trophies, including three Premier League titles, during the period. Keane told ITV Sport that players had won on the pitch while “cheating was going on”, and said the club knew its actions would hurt many people.

Wayne Rooney, who was part of Manchester United’s runners-up side in 2011-12, said he would not feel comfortable receiving a Premier League medal retrospectively if City were stripped of titles. He said United did not do enough to win that season, while players may not have known what was happening above them.

Rooney nevertheless said he believed City should be relegated, suggesting the lowest league possible and spending restrictions. Former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said the period had caused damage to sporting fairness, while La Liga president Javier Tebas called for the most severe sanction available under Premier League regulations.