Andy Burnham has sparked a mass uproar after voicing “concern” that Man City might lose its owners for breaching Premier League rules.
The club was sensationally found guilty of all its breaches of Premier League financial rules between 2009-10 and 2017-18 on Tuesday.
Main sponsor Eithad has now threatened legal action against the league – while other club chiefs are now calling for severe punishment.
City has repeatedly denied guilt and signalled an intent to lodge an appeal by the end of this week.
Fans across the world have been near unanimous in demanding action – but the ex-Greater Manchester Mayor Prime Minister has appeared to heap praise onto the club’s Emirati owners.
“I would be really concerned to lose them,” Mr Burnham lamented.
“They’ve been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester, and 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.”
He added: “Everton was in this position a few years ago and you might remember that I fought for Everton in that situation because I still hold the view very firmly that they weren’t fairly treated in that process.
“I remember people proclaiming Everton guilty at the time and with hindsight I think more people would say that wasn’t fair, the way that was handled. So it would be wrong of me to leap to one side given the experience that I’d had before becoming Prime Minister.”
It is “frustrating when people rush to judgement”, Mr Burnham told the BBC, saying there was “a lot at stake” for City fans, the club and Manchester itself.
Ex-England striker Stan Collymore said Mr Burnham’s “very political comments on City Group are pure British Government twerking”.
“His Manchester angle of ‘they put lots of money into the area’ is missing a spectacular point,” he added.
The former Liverpool man branded his response an example of “sportswashing”, accusing CFG of “buying people happiness” so they do not feel angry at the scandal surrounding the club.
“It’s what every sportswashing project is. Buy people’s love and those people’s instinct will be to like you, thank you, even love you,” he said.
Etihad, the club’s main sponsor, hit out at the league
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While Rio Ferdinand said the Prime Minister was “on the back foot referencing Manchester City this evening”.
Simon Chadwick, a professor of Afro-Eurasian sport at Leeds University, said Mr Burnham’s intervention made for “intriguing times ahead”.
“The UAE is UK’s biggest Middle East trade partner, the relationship sustains tens of thousands of British jobs, UAE investments in the UK amount to £30billion.”
Prof Chadwick also highlighted how this summer, Mr Burnham “sought greater UAE defence cooperation and investment in the UK”.
Speaking to The i Paper on Wednesday, insiders revealed the “diplomatic tightrope” Britain has to walk with the UAE amid the Premier League “sham payments” probe.
Ministers are said to be suffering a major diplomatic headache with the UAE over the case – City’s close ties to Abu Dhabi’s ruling elite have already strained this diplomatic relationship, with the threat of severe sanctions set to test it even further.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the newspaper that while global investment in football was welcome, “undue interference is not”.
One insider claimed the UAE has failed to understand that the Government “can’t control” British football institutions like how Abu Dhabi’s ruling class does at home.
A senior Government source said the case was an “ongoing bugbear of the Emirates”, adding: “All foreign governments want to do is talk about the Premier League and which football matches they’ve been to. It will be something that cuts through.”
LATEST ON THE MAN CITY SAGA:
The Prime Minister appeared to heap praise onto the club’s owners for investing in his beloved Manchester
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Though the source said “no one has put any pressure on me”, there are thought to have been examples of the UAE raising the issue directly to British diplomats.
A Government spokesman said: “This is an ongoing, independent process in which His Majesty’s Government has no involvement.”
Last night, Etihad, the club’s main sponsor, hit out at the league for the way the findings were presented in the public eye.
It claimed had “damaging implications” for the airline – despite the fact it was not named in the published report.
The sponsor said it rejected “any implication that suggests the airline has ever been involved in improper commercial arrangements”.
The statement said: “The Premier League’s public communication of the commission’s findings, following a period of selective leaks and reporting, has further created damaging implications for Etihad despite the airline not being named in the redacted published findings.
“At no time did the Premier League reach out to or engage with Etihad in the process associated with the commission’s opinion.
“Etihad was therefore never given the opportunity by the Premier League to be represented, to provide relevant information, or to ensure the accuracy and fairness of information relied upon in reaching conclusions that may now be interpreted as reflecting adversely on the airline.
“Etihad is deeply concerned by the way this matter has been communicated publicly.
Etihad, the club’s main sponsor, hit out at the league for the way the findings were presented in the public eye
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“The lack of clarity and transparency, together with the selective disclosure of information, has created damaging implications for Etihad despite the airline not being named in the published decision.”
Yesterday, the league said City was guilty of almost every charge – of which there were 115 – laid against the Abu Dhabi-controlled club for “breaching financial rules”.
Sanctions could be severe as expulsion from the Premier League, while City has announced it will appeal the decision.
Earlier today, the Independent Football Regulator said it can assess whether the Abu Dhabi United Group can own an English club.
“I can’t intervene more in the process,” Mr Burnham added.
“It would be wrong for me to do that. It would be wrong, I think, to jump to a conclusion before having really studied all of the detail.
“But obviously it’s ongoing, and because it’s still contested by Manchester City then I think it’s right that I don’t say much more.”
GB News has approached No10 for comment.