Ferran Soriano's Video Message Sparks AI Deepfake Doubts

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano addressed club staff in a video message posted online on 29 September, defending the club against allegations of breaching Premier League financial rules. Social media users and journalists who watched the recording pointed to one detail: over more than three minutes, Soriano did not appear to blink once.

"If I haven't missed something, then either this video has been processed with AI at the very least, or Ferran Soriano managed not to blink once for three minutes," journalist George Simms wrote.

In the address, Soriano said the case against the club rests on a single false accusation.

City have faced 115 charges from the Premier League over alleged breaches of financial rules dating back to the 2009-10 season, and the club has consistently denied wrongdoing. Whether the footage was in fact digitally altered remains unconfirmed.