Prime Minister Mayor Andy Burnham has supported the owners of Manchester City. He said he would be "really concerned" if they decided to sell the club after the Premier League’s financial case against City.
Burnham praised the City Football Group for their heavy investment in Manchester since Sheikh Mansour took over in 2008. He noted that their impact goes beyond just Manchester City. It includes investment around the Etihad Stadium and in the wider city.
"I would be really concerned to lose them," Burnham told the BBC on Wednesday. "They’ve been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester and obviously the building of Manchester City into the global force that it is."
His comments came after an independent commission found Manchester City guilty of most of the 115 charges brought against the club by the Premier League. City has denied any wrongdoing and plans to appeal the findings. The club has until 2 October to submit that appeal.
Among the commission’s findings was that City had arranged what it called "sham contracts" with commercial partners. This was part of a scheme involving over £830m in undisclosed funding. The Premier League stated that the club had "systematically broken" its rules for nearly ten years.
City could face several sanctions. But no final punishment has been decided yet. Possible penalties include a hefty fine, losing points, or even being kicked out of the Premier League. Any of these could also be appealed.
The Independent Football Regulator mentioned that the case raises "serious issues". They pointed out that they might look into whether the owners should keep their licence to own the club after the disciplinary process ends.
Burnham said he is confident that his dealings with Manchester City’s owners as mayor would hold up under scrutiny. He also referenced Everton’s past experience with the Premier League’s financial rules. Everton lost 10 points in November 2023 for breaking financial regulations. This punishment was later reduced to six points after an appeal.
Burnham, who supports Everton, said his experience with that case makes him careful about jumping to conclusions regarding Manchester City.
"It’s frustrating when people rush to judgement," he said. He added that there was "a lot at stake" for City supporters, the club, and Manchester itself.
The Manchester City case is still ongoing, with appeals and a separate process for sanctions yet to come.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇