Liverpool will face no further investigation into allegations they hacked Manchester City’s scouting database, the Football Association has said.

Manchester City believed their Scout 7 system was accessed illegally and the Times claimed that Liverpool made a £1 million payment in a confidential settlement over the breach.

An FA spokesperson said: “The FA has carefully considered the evidence it received in this matter, including information provided by both clubs involved, and has decided not to progress the investigation.

“This is due to a number of factors including the age of the alleged concerns and the settlement agreed by the two clubs involved.”

Regarding the incident, City boss Pep Guardiola said last September: “Today there are not secrets any more. Look what happened in the big governments in the States and Russia and everywhere. Everyone knows it.

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“What happened in Liverpool I don’t know, you have to ask them. It was 2013. I prefer not to do any comment and not use the internet the next time.”

The first reports of an alleged data breach at City came in June 2013 amid claims the club even had to speed up the signing of Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk.

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“As per standard protocol, should The FA receive further information or evidence, the decision not to progress the investigation may be reviewed,” the FA spokesperson added.