Manchester City could face years of legal battles following the Premier League’s verdict that the club breached financial rules, lawyers have warned.

An independent commission found City guilty of all charges relating to financial breaches over nine seasons and three of four charges relating to the club’s failure to co-operate with the investigation.

The Premier League said City had used “sham” commercial contracts as part of schemes that inflated revenue and understated costs by more than £900 million ($1.2 billion). City deny wrongdoing and have until Friday to lodge an appeal, which the club has said it will do.

No sanction has yet been imposed, leaving the potential consequences unresolved, according to Reuters.

London-based sports law barrister Yasin Patel told Reuters that the case could continue for years if the Premier League and affected clubs pursue further legal action.

Clubs could seek compensation for lost income or opportunities linked to City’s alleged breaches. Patel pointed to the ongoing Everton-Burnley case, in which Everton were ordered to pay around £35 million to Burnley over the impact of a financial rules breach on Burnley’s relegation. Everton are appealing the decision.

The fallout could extend to league positions, European places, trophies and player transfers, Patel said, with clubs potentially arguing that they suffered financial losses because of City’s alleged breaches.

The appeal will be heard by a new three-person panel and is expected to be a key priority before any sanctions are finalised.

Football lawyer Stefan Borson said the most immediate focus would be testing the commission’s findings through the appeal process, with any sanctions potentially suspended until the appeal is resolved.

Lawyers also raised questions over whether the findings could lead to further proceedings beyond football regulation, while another sports lawyer, Alex Goodchild, suggested the reported leak of the verdict could become part of a potential procedural challenge.

If City were eventually relegated, their squad could also face significant changes. Lawyers said some players may have relegation release clauses allowing other clubs to sign them for reduced fees.