Burnham met Man City bosses at least SIX times despite claiming he’d had 1 ‘significant’ sit down with club’s owners

31 comments 31 Next ANDY Burnham met Manchester City bosses at least six times as mayor, it emerged yesterday — further blowing apart claims he held just one “significant” meeting with the club’s Abu Dhabi chiefs. And the PM was warned questions over his relationship with the scandal-hit club’s owners were “ not going away ” as he was grilled over a Sun investigation into their dealings . 4 Andy Burnham alongside City CEO Ferran Soriano at the Co-op Live Arena in July 2023 Credit: Unknown 4 Now a video has emerged of Mr Burnham at a City match on December 15, 2018 Advertisement We revealed a now-deleted register of interests showed he enjoyed red-carpet hospitality twice from City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak . It contradicted Mr Burnham ’s claim to MPs on Monday. Meanwhile, last night it emerged his successor as Manchester mayor, Bev Craig, took a representative from the club to Delhi and Mumbai on a trip organised by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds . Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Email address Please provide a valid email. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. Mr Burnham’s links with the club came under scrutiny after he said he would be “really concerned to lose” the Abu Dhabi owners. Sources in the United Arab Emirates had signalled that a harsh punishment for City being found guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League rules could sink £30billion of UK investment. READ MORE ON BURNHAM MAN SHIFTY PM accused of covering up Man City links after Sun finds he had freebie dinners CITY PROBE PM told questions over City 'aren't going away' as he denies discussing charges Yesterday, Mr Burnham told the Commons his vague declaration of freebie visits to the Etihad Stadium “on a small number of occasions” included the two dinners with Mr Al Mubarak. He also insisted they never discussed the probe by an independent panel. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch hit back: “I do not think his carefully-worded answer will suffice.” More hidden records showed Mr Burnham held private meetings with City CEO Ferran Soriano in 2023, and former chief operating officer Roel de Vries in 2025. It is understood Mr Burnham met the pair at the city’s Co-op Live arena, part owned by Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group. Advertisement Most read in Sport PAIGE TURNER Paige Spiranac leaves little to imagination with busty display as Willy Wonka 'fighting for his life' Football boss desperately avoids looking at glam reporter's outfit TAKING THE LIS Martinez's Man Utd future in doubt as team-mate 'confronts him on flight' FAB MOVE Hurzeler standout candidate to replace Carrick if Man Utd decide to sack him 4 Man City against Everton at the Etihad in 2018 Credit: Getty Images 4 A now-deleted register of interests showed Burnham enjoyed red-carpet hospitality twice from City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak Credit: Martin Rickett/PA Wire The meeting with Mr Soriano, a Co-op Live director, came when construction work on the roof was completed. Mr Vries, an executive board member, met with him to celebrate the BRIT Awards coming to Manchester. Last night a video emerged of Mr Burnham at a City match on December 15, 2018. He was interviewed by vlogger Ian Cheeseman outside the club’s exclusive Tunnel Club hospitality area at the game against Mr Burnham’s beloved Everton . Advertisement It is not known if he paid for the match out of his own pocket. No visit was recorded in any register of interests entries. Mr Burnham’s two dinners were logged on a register he signed in 2020, but that was removed from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority website. The BBC reported the authority’s policy is to publish entries only from the current mayoral term. Yet entries dating back to 2022 are still available, despite the current mayoral term beginning in 2024. Referring to Abu Dhabi investment in the area around the City ground, current Manchester mayor Ms Craig told The Guardian: “If a football club has broken the rules, a football club should be punished for breaking the rules. “I think what can also be true at the same time though, if you ask residents in east Manchester, have they benefited from a new library, a new leisure centre, a new sixth-form college — then they will have felt that benefit.” Advertisement 6 MEETINGS WE KNOW (SO FAR) AUGUST 2017: Andy Burnham has dinner with Sir Richard Leese and Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak as they play Everton at the Etihad. APRIL 2018: Mr Burnham again meets Mr Al Mubarak there for dinner at the ­Manchester derby. SEPTEMBER 2019: Mr Burnham meets the chairman in the stands at Vincent Kompany’s testimonial match at the Etihad, where the pair are pictured together. OCTOBER 2021: The two have what Mr Burnham calls their only “significant ­meeting” at the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit. JULY 2023: Mr Burnham meets Ferran Soriano, City’s CEO, at an event to mark completion of the Co-Op Live Arena’s roof. JUNE 2025: Mr Burnham meets Roel de Vries, City’s former Chief Operating Officer, at the Arena — which is partially owned by the club’s owner Sheikh Mansour — to mark the BRIT Awards being held in Manchester. 31 comments 31