Greater Manchester Police has indicated that no criminal investigation has been launched into Manchester City as no complaints have been lodged 'by the relevant authorities'. The Citizens face the threat of severe sanctions after an independent commission found they had “clearly intended to circumvent Premier League rules” over a nine-season period.
Findings of the commission
City were found to have engaged in an almost £1billion scheme to either inflate revenues or reduce costs through a series of “sham” arrangements in order to avoid breaching league and UEFA financial regulations. Today (September 30), GMP indicated no criminal investigation had been launched while Prime Minister Andy Burnham said it would be wrong to 'leap to judgment'.
The bombshell finding - which the club is set to appeal - has led to calls for a criminal investigation. Former City and Football Association chairman David Bernstein has suggested the case needs to be “looked at by outside authorities” while Tory peer Lord Cruddas reportedly said: “Surely the Man City findings are now a police matter. If accounts have been falsified and auditors have been misled, then it is potentially a criminal matter.”
Premier League response
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters described the case, and the decision, as “the most significant in Premier League history”, with the league’s investigation having started back in 2018. More than 100 league charges were laid against City in February 2023, with the commission hearing the case between September and December 2024.
The same commission which has given its decision will now consider what sanctions should be imposed, while the club immediately confirmed their intention to appeal, saying the decision “contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe”.
Police statement and political reaction
A statement issued by Greater Manchester Police said: "No referral has been made by the relevant authorities in relation to any alleged criminal offences." Meanwhile Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said it would be wrong to “leap to judgment” about Manchester City, and he is confident his dealings with the club while mayor of Greater Manchester stand up to scrutiny.
He said Manchester City, found guilty of charges related to breaches of financial rules between 2009-10 and 2017-18, should be able to “contest the situation if they don’t think it’s fair”. The Premier League said an independent commission found City arranged “sham” commercial deals with a number of its sponsors during the period, which were part of a disguised funding scheme, whereby those companies were only required to pay a portion of the relevant sponsorship fees.
The commission found that the remainder was funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club. The Prime Minister thanked City Football Group – the club’s holding company – for the money it had invested into Manchester, and said he would be “really concerned to lose them” should they decide to sell up. But Mr Burnham said he would “keep my distance” should the United Arab Emirates government make representations to him over the dispute.
Burnham's stance and future steps
He told 5 News: “I think it’s only right that Manchester City and Manchester City supporters have that opportunity to continue to contest the situation if they don’t think it’s fair.” The Prime Minister campaigned against the decision to dock Everton Premier League points for financial rule breaches when he was mayor of Greater Manchester.
The Toffees had a 10-point deduction reduced to six on appeal in 2024. Mr Burnham, an Everton supporter, told the broadcaster: “I think it’s only right to say that it is still contested now. The Premier League proclaimed (Everton) guilty and I never accepted that and therefore it would be somewhat wrong of me to leap to judgment on another football club. But they’re very serious charges, don’t get me wrong.”
He continued: “But I think it’s only fair from my own experience fighting for my club that I take that position at this stage.” Asked by the BBC if all his dealings with Manchester City while he was mayor will stand up to scrutiny, he said: “Oh indeed, I do actually thank the City Football Group and the wider ownership for the money that they didn’t just put into the Etihad and the campus around it but also into the city, but yes of course.”
Asked if he was worried about them selling the club, he said: “I would be really concerned to lose them. They’ve been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester. Obviously, the building of Manchester City into the global force that it is.” Asked if he would be willing to listen to the United Arab Emirates government about the matter, he told the BBC: “I am not getting directly involved in the process. I’ve not spoken to anybody directly about that. I have to keep my distance from it. It would be wrong for me to do anything else. It’s an independent legal process that has to play its course through. …There’s a lot at stake. Let’s be honest about that, for the football club, for city supporters, for the city of Manchester.”
