Burnham 'concerned' if Man City owners sell club, but keeping distance from case

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"][b]Manchester City[/b][/a]'s rivals are pushing for the club's punishment to be decided before the end of the 2026/27 Premier League season after the side was found guilty of 114 financial breaches.[/p][p]The charges range from 2009 to 2018, and the club may have any titles won during that time stripped from them, as many wait to see what punishment may be handed out.[/p][p]The commission's findings involve approximately £830 million in disguised funding through so-called "sham" contracts, which City deny and will reportedly appeal.[/p][p]Despite the findings and calls for City to be heavily punished, Burnham has revealed that he will not intervene and even thanked the club for their public investment.[/p][p][b]"I would be really concerned to lose them," [/b]he said when asked by the [b][i]BBC[/i][/b] if he was worried about them selling the club.[/p][p][b]"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."[/b][/p][embed guid="1a9447c0-e814-4f31-9d83-86a358a86478" url="https://x.com/BBCPolitics/status/2105390853250293897" social-type="twitter" /][p]When asked if all his dealings with Manchester City while he was mayor will stand up to scrutiny, he replied: "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."[/p][h2]'I have to keep my distance from it'[/h2][p]Burnham said he is "not getting directly involved in the process," adding: [b]"I have to keep my distance from it. It would be wrong for me to do anything else. [/b][/p][p][b]"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."[/b][/p][p]Later he said: "I remember people proclaiming [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/everton/KluSTr9s/"]Everton[/a] guilty at the time and with hindsight I think more people would say that wasn't fair, the way that was handled. So it would be wrong of me to leap to one side given the experience that I'd had before becoming Prime Minister."[/p][p]City have until Friday, October 2nd, to lodge their appeal against the findings, which could implode the side and tarnish all of their success.[/p][infobox id="56fa417b-668f-4479-b327-8fea98ffaefc" /]