Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has defended Manchester City’s owners, saying he would be “really concerned” if they decided to sell the club following the Premier League’s financial-rule case against City.
Burnham praised the City Football Group and its ownership for the significant investment it has made in Manchester since Sheikh Mansour took over the club in 2008.
He said the investment had extended beyond Manchester City itself, including developments around the Etihad Stadium and projects across 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 the majority of the 115 charges brought against the club by the Premier League.
City have denied wrongdoing and are expected to appeal the findings, with the club having until October 2 to submit an appeal.
Among the commission’s findings was that City had arranged what it described as “sham contracts” with commercial partners as part of a scheme involving more than £830 million in undisclosed funding.
The Premier League said the club had “systematically broken” its rules over a period of almost a decade.
Manchester City could now face a range of sanctions, although no final punishment has been determined. Potential consequences include a substantial fine, a points deduction or expulsion from the Premier League. Any sanction could also be appealed.
The Independent Football Regulator said the case raises “serious issues” and indicated that it could examine whether the owners should continue to hold a licence to own the club once the disciplinary process has been completed.
Burnham said he remained confident that his own dealings with Manchester City’s owners during his time as mayor would withstand scrutiny.
He also referred to Everton’s previous experience with the Premier League’s financial regulations. Everton were deducted 10 points in November 2023 after being found guilty of breaching financial rules, although the punishment was later reduced to six points following an appeal.
Burnham, an Everton supporter, said that experience had made him wary of reaching conclusions about Manchester City before the process was complete.
“It’s frustrating when people rush to judgement,” he said, adding that there was “a lot at stake” for City supporters, the club and Manchester itself.
The Manchester City case remains unresolved, with the appeals process and a separate procedure to determine any sanctions still outstanding.
