Carragher demands City's Abu Dhabi owners sell up after guilty financial verdict

Jamie Carragher has called on Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi ownership group to sell the club in the wake of an independent commission ruling that City “clearly intended to circumvent Premier League rules” through a series of “sham” commercial deals spanning nine seasons.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, the former Liverpool defender argued that majority owner Sheikh Mansour and all implicated executives have no viable future at the club. “Manchester City are at the end of their Abu Dhabi era,” Carragher wrote. “The club can only heal and recover from the shame of their guilt once the custodians recognise they have failed in their duty and sell up.”

The independent commission found that City inflated revenue and concealed costs over a nine-year period. Carragher was unequivocal about the consequences: “The scale of the institutional cheating and lack of co-operation in the investigation means the position of all City executives involved is untenable. Fighting on will only prolong the agony of supporters who wrongly believe their pleas of innocence.”

He also warned that failure to enforce existing regulations would hollow out the sport’s governance framework. “Anyone who falls short must be disqualified from being Premier League directors and owners; otherwise, the regulations are not fit for purpose,” he added.

Carragher’s position puts him at odds with Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister and former Mayor of Greater Manchester, who expressed concern about losing the club’s ownership group. “They’ve been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester,” Burnham told the BBC, suggesting forced divestiture may not be the appropriate remedy for a group that has invested billions since arriving in 2008.

David Kogan, chair of the Independent Football Regulator, noted separately that the ruling “raises serious issues” and confirmed the body holds the power to assess the suitability of club owners and executives once all proceedings have concluded.

City have stated their intention to appeal the verdict. In a further development, the club’s principal sponsor Etihad Airways released a statement saying it was assessing its own legal options following the commission’s ruling.

Former manager Pep Guardiola, who won six Premier League titles at City before departing at the end of last season, posted a message of solidarity on social media. “I want every single Manchester City fan to know I am here; more than ever,” Guardiola wrote. “I am, always have been, always will be behind my club, my owner, my chairman.”