UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he would be “really concerned” if Manchester City’s owners decided to sell the club following an independent commission’s findings that the club breached a number of Premier League financial rules.
Manchester City denies wrongdoing and is expected to appeal the commission’s findings.
Burnham said he would be concerned about losing the City Football Group, praising its ownership since 2008 for its investment in Manchester and its contribution to the development of the city.
The comments came after an independent commission ruled against Manchester City on the majority of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League. The club has maintained its position that it did not breach the rules and has until October 2 to submit an appeal.
Burnham said the matter remained contested by Manchester City and that it would be inappropriate for him to intervene while the disciplinary process was ongoing.
“I would be really concerned to lose them,” Burnham told the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason.
“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.”
The Independent Football Regulator, established by the UK government in 2025, has said the case raised “serious issues”. The regulator could consider regulatory measures, including whether the owners should retain their licence to operate the club, once the Premier League disciplinary process has concluded.
The independent commission found that Manchester City had breached Premier League rules relating to its financial reporting and other matters. Among its findings were allegations concerning commercial agreements that the commission described as “sham contracts” and which it said were connected to more than £830 million in funding.
The Premier League has described the alleged breaches as systematic and spanning several seasons. Manchester City disputes the findings.
A separate sanctions process will determine what, if any, punishment is imposed. Potential sanctions under consideration could include a fine, points deduction or expulsion from the Premier League, while other sporting consequences could also arise depending on the final outcome of the disciplinary and appeal processes.
Burnham, who previously served as mayor of Greater Manchester, also defended his past dealings with Manchester City’s owners.
“I do actually thank the City Football Group and the wider ownership for the money that they didn’t just put into the Etihad [Stadium] and the campus around it but also into the city,” he said.
He added that he was confident his dealings with the owners while mayor would “stand up to scrutiny”.
Burnham also referred to Everton’s previous experience with Premier League financial rules, recalling that he had supported the club after it received a 10-point deduction in 2023, which was later reduced to six points on appeal.
“So it would be wrong of me to leap to one side given the experience that I’d had before becoming prime minister,” he said.
“It is frustrating when people rush to judgement.”
Burnham acknowledged that “a lot” was at stake for Manchester City, its supporters and the wider city but maintained that he should not intervene while the disciplinary process remains ongoing.
Manchester City has described itself as “both disappointed and surprised” by the commission’s findings and continues to deny the alleged wrongdoing as it considers its appeal.
