UEFA has confirmed that Man City will "not be subject to a net spending restriction this summer," provided it meets the terms of the settlement agreement the club signed last year after being found in breach of financial fair play regulations, according to Gabriele Marcotti of ESPN. This means that, if the club meets the limits set by the agreement -- maximum FFP break-even losses of €20M ($22.5M) for the financial year ending in '14 -- it "will not be subjected to the net spending maximum" it faced last year, giving it "more freedom to rebuild." Last May, UEFA released a statement that listed Man City's "obligations under the terms of the settlement," which included the stipulation that €60M ($67.5M) in prize money "would be withheld (with two-thirds of it returned if certain targets were reached), that 'employee benefit expenses' could not increase and that squad size would be restricted." Man City insisted that meeting the settlement terms means it will "be free from this restriction," and, this week UEFA confirmed that this is "indeed the case." So does this mean Man City is "in the clear" and that Owner Sheikh Mansour can "take out his big checkbook" as crosstown rival ManU did last summer? Not necessarily. First, UEFA needs to confirm that its FFP calculation "matches that of the club" (ESPN, 5/11).
