John W. Henry's 2011 social media post backing Arsene Wenger's criticism of Manchester City's sponsorship deal has resurfaced after the club were found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules.
An independent panel confirmed on Tuesday that City had committed 114 of 115 alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018. The verdict detailed how the club arranged 'sham' contracts with commercial partners and sponsors to inflate revenues and reduce costs, with companies only paying a portion of sponsorship fees while the remainder was funded by the club's owners, Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG).
Wenger's 'bad deal' accusation
In 2011, City announced a record-breaking £400m sponsorship deal with Etihad Airways, worth £40m a year over 10 years. The agreement included renaming the stadium the Etihad Stadium, financial backing for the Etihad Campus, and extending shirt sponsorship, which had previously been worth £2.3m a year.
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger criticised the deal, comparing it to Arsenal's own arrangement with Emirates, agreed in 2004, which was valued at £90m over 15 years, with around £48m from shirt sponsorship and stadium naming rights worth £2.8m a year.
"We must have done a bad deal," Wenger said at the time, urging UEFA to investigate and accusing City of bending financial fair play rules. "It raises the real question about the credibility of the financial fair play," he added. "They give us the message that they can get around it by doing what they want."
Henry's response
City responded to Wenger's comments in a statement, calling his remarks about the partnership 'unfounded and regrettable'. Henry then sided with Wenger, writing on social media: "A club's best player has to be worth at least 10% of your naming rights. Mr. Wenger says boldly what everyone thinks."
Rival clubs had long suspected City's dealings, and the verdict has now vindicated those concerns. City continues to insist on their innocence and intends to appeal the decision.
