Staveley, who helped facilitate Sheikh Mansour’s takeover of City in 2008, believes the league should focus on finding a resolution that allows football to move forward despite the divisions created by the verdict.
An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of breaches relating to contracts and payments between 2009 and 2018, including sponsorship arrangements involving more than £830 million that were described as “sham” deals.
City have denied wrongdoing and appealed against the commission’s findings. Any punishment will therefore have to wait until the appeal process is completed.
Staveley, who later became closely associated with the Newcastle United takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, said the Premier League should prioritise the interests of the competition as a whole.
“We should really nurture this asset,” she said during Leaders Week London at Stamford Bridge.
“We should nurture our fans and we should do everything we can to try and make a resolution to the issues that exist today. And I hope that somebody with probably more negotiating abilities [than me] comes in and resolves that issue.”
Staveley acknowledged the difficulty facing Premier League executives, who must balance competing demands from the division’s 20 clubs.
“You've got 20 clubs and half of them are shouting at you to do one thing; the rest of the 10 clubs are shouting at you to do another,” she said.
“So, as an executive, you're always pulled; you're always being threatened to be sued by one club. And you're meant to actually be co-owners of one league. So, to navigate all of that is really tough.”
She believes the focus should now move towards rebuilding relationships within the competition.
“I think we should just focus on the future and getting it right and trying to build bridges with our neighbours,” Staveley said.
The Premier League must now wait for City’s appeal to run its course before sanctions can be imposed.
The verdict has already created significant tension between City and their domestic rivals, with several clubs having taken legal steps to preserve potential compensation claims.
Staveley’s intervention comes as City remain top of the Premier League after winning their opening five matches, but with the financial case continuing to cast uncertainty over the club’s future.