PM Burnham says he would be very concerned if Man City owners sold club

Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham has expressed concern over the potential sale of Manchester City by its Abu Dhabi owners after being found guilty of serious breaches of financial rules. Burnham, who previously served as the mayor of Greater Manchester, praised the ownership group led by Sheikh Mansour for their significant investment in the city since taking over the club in 2008.

In a recent interview with the BBC, Burnham stated that he would be "really concerned" to lose Sheikh Mansour and the club's current owners due to their immense contribution to modern Manchester and Manchester City's global status. However, Burnham acknowledged that Everton, another club under scrutiny for financial rule breaches, had been treated differently by the league, receiving a 10-point deduction which was later reduced to six points.

The Premier League has accused Manchester City of using "sham" commercial contracts to inflate revenue and understate costs by over £900 million (US$1.2 billion) over nearly a decade. Despite denying wrongdoing, City have announced they will appeal the decision. With sanctions yet to be determined and appeals expected, Burnham emphasized that it would be inappropriate for him to take sides in the ongoing disciplinary process.