Premier League Clubs Concerned Over Prime Minister’s Comments On Man City Verdict

Several Premier League clubs have raised concerns about possible political interference in Manchester City’s appeal against its financial rule breaches after Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would be “really concerned” if the club’s owners decided to sell.

Senior club figures told BBC Sport they were “astonished” by Burnham’s comments, which they felt appeared to downplay the seriousness of the verdict against Manchester City. The comments came a day after an independent commission found the club guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules following a 42-day hearing in 2024.

Burnham made the remarks during an interview with BBC political editor Chris Mason while discussing the potential impact of the verdict on Manchester’s global reputation. He said he would be “really concerned to lose them” and praised the City Football Group for its investment in the Etihad Stadium, the surrounding campus and the wider city.

One senior club source described the comments as “absolutely bizarre”, saying they were “at best naive and at worst quite manipulative, and that is not a good look”. Another described them as “clumsy”, while a third said they were surprised that the prime minister had “misspoken”.

The process involving City’s financial charges remains independent of the Premier League. City is appealing the verdict, with a separate independent appeal board set to hear the case. The club continues to deny any wrongdoing, while a sanctions hearing is still to take place.

One senior club source said: “Everyone would have a degree of concern. How much would depend on how much you read into that comment.

“I think everyone is concerned. Because no-one is stupid around the table. We understand the geopolitics as well. We understand the investment they have made in our country. I don’t think anyone could doubt that or criticise that. But this is different, this is sport, this is our national game.”

Another club source said the level of scrutiny surrounding Burnham meant they believed any interference would now be impossible.

Downing Street later stressed that Burnham’s position was that no-one was “above the rules” and that the independent process must be allowed to continue. The statement initially said action should follow “if wrongdoing is established”, but No 10 later changed the wording to “wherever wrongdoing is established” following further criticism.

Burnham is also facing scrutiny over his previous relationship with Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi ownership during his nine years as mayor of Greater Manchester. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for No 10 to release details of meetings between the prime minister and senior figures at the club.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said after the verdict that Manchester City had “systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade”.