Burnham concerned City owners could sell amid ongoing case

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would be “really concerned” if Manchester City’s owners sold the club, while stressing that he would not intervene in the ongoing Premier League case. His comments came after an independent commission found the club guilty of most of the financial-rule charges it considered. City says it intends to appeal, and any sanctions remain undecided. Burnham credited City Football Group and the wider ownership with investing in Manchester, including the stadium area and the surrounding campus. He described the owners as significant partners in the city’s development, but said he would keep his distance from the case because it remains contested and should proceed through an independent process. He said it would be wrong to reach a conclusion before studying the details. The commission’s findings concern alleged breaches over nine seasons, from 2009-10 through 2017-18. The Premier League’s case involved claims that commercial arrangements disguised funding and affected the club’s reported revenues and costs.