What Manchester's 'super-profit' deal with City owners has paid out so far

Manchester City Council has generated nearly £3 million from a 2014 agreement to share in the super-profits generated by Manchester City owner Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) on developments in Ancoats and New Islington. However, the council's valuation of the deal has been questioned due to commercial secrecy surrounding the arrangements.

In 2008, Manchester City was purchased by ADUG for £200 million, leading to the formation of Manchester Life, a partnership between ADUG and the council. ADUG leased development sites from the council, allowing the council to share in the profits when land values exceeded a predetermined threshold. Despite the council expecting further payments, issues such as undisclosed overage agreement terms and limited transparency around connected companies' finances have raised concerns about the fairness of the deal.