The Premier League's war with Manchester City over 115 alleged breaches of financial rules could not be settled until after NEXT season.
On Wednesday, it emerged that the ongoing hearing in London into the matter which has rocked the top flight will not conclude until the middle of next month after which both sides will have presented their closing arguments.
Mail Sport understands that a subsequent verdict may then not be reached until after the current campaign has concluded.
However, an appeal from either the league or City – viewed by many as inevitable given the high stakes involved – could then take as long as 12 months to complete.