Photo via BBC Sport

Burnham to release details of Man City meetings

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has agreed to disclose details of his past interactions with Manchester City officials amid growing political scrutiny over his relationship with the club’s Abu Dhabi ownership. The decision follows the club’s guilty verdict in a Premier League investigation, which found City violated financial rules by secretly funneling over £830 million through fake contracts between 2009 and 2018.

Burnham, who served as mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 until earlier this year, has faced criticism for his earlier remarks suggesting concern over potential ownership changes, though he later clarified his comments were unrelated to the football probe. The independent commission’s 42-day hearing in 2024 led to the verdict, with sanctions pending as City prepare an appeal.

Meanwhile, the club returned to action on Sunday with a 3-0 win at Liverpool, marking their first match since the ruling. Burnham’s single significant meeting with City officials occurred in 2021, and he has insisted the football and investment issues are distinct, though opponents argue his past support for Gulf investment in Manchester clouds his stance.

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