LONDON — Some Premier League clubs were left "astonished" by Prime Minister Andy Burnham's comments appearing to downplay the guilty verdict against Manchester City and are now concerned about political interference in the club's appeal process, sources have told BBC Sport. Senior club figures said they were shocked when Burnham told the BBC he would be "really concerned" if City's Abu Dhabi owners decide to sell up after the club was found guilty of Premier League financial rule breaches.
Club sources questioned what the comments were designed to achieve and said they had put the Independent Football Regulator in a difficult position. One senior source called the remarks "absolutely bizarre" and said it was "at best naive and at worst quite manipulative, and that is not a good look," while another called the intervention "clumsy" and a third said they were surprised the prime minister had "misspoken." Burnham, who was mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 until he became prime minister this summer, is under increasing pressure over his relationship with the club's Abu Dhabi ownership during his time as mayor, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch demanding No 10 release all details of meetings between the prime minister and senior figures at the club.
The entire process involving the charges against Manchester City is independent of the Premier League. An independent commission held a 42-day hearing in 2024 which led to the verdict announced last month, with a sanctions hearing still to come, and a separate independent appeal board will hear City's appeal. The club continues to deny any wrongdoing. When the guilty verdicts were announced, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the club had "systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade." One senior club source said of potential interference: "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." Another source said the degree of scrutiny on Burnham now means they think any interference would be impossible.
Burnham made the comments in an interview with the BBC's political editor Chris Mason the day after the verdict, when asked about 'Brand Manchester' taking a hit. He drew a parallel with Everton, saying he still held the view "firmly" that they "weren't fairly treated" after Everton were deducted 10 points, later reduced to six on appeal, by an independent commission for breaching Premier League financial rules. Asked if he was concerned City's owners would sell, Burnham said: "I would be really concerned to lose them. 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. 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." The following day a No 10 spokesperson sought to clarify, saying: "As the prime minister made clear, the initial judgement is serious and there can't be any suggestion that anyone is above the rules. He also stressed that it is an ongoing independent process. It is essential that it is allowed to run its course and the outcome respected. If wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the appropriate consequences." That statement was later amended after criticism over the use of "if," which was changed to "wherever."
The issue is sensitive for Burnham, whose nine years as mayor overlapped with Manchester City's dominance and a period of economic growth for the city. As mayor he championed investment from the Gulf as a way of growing Manchester's economy, a strategy initially pursued by city leaders before he became the inaugural elected mayor of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The UK is eager to trade with the UAE, an important diplomatic ally in the region. Burnham, an Everton season ticket holder who had hoped to continue sitting in his usual seat at Hill Dickinson Stadium before security concerns prevented it, has seen his initial comments gain major cut-through with voters, sparking unease among some senior Labour figures despite Downing Street's clarification that no-one is "above the rules." The fallout follows Guardiola's defiant response to the guilty verdict as City prepares for its appeal.