Government 'request' over Man City's 115 charges case emerges amid hearing into alleged FFP breaches

The previous government reportedly made a special request over the case involving 115 alleged breaches of financial rules levelled against Manchester City.

The reigning Premier League champions were charged with the breaches by the Premier League last year.

They were charged with breaking financial rules used by both the Premier League and UEFA over a nine-year period starting from 2009 until 2018. City strenuously deny any wrongdoing.

A hearing into the 115 charges began last month, although it was held in private and therefore no information was publicly released surrounding the case.

Now, The Times have reported that the previous Conservative government brought up the case in an email last year.

It is said that the information was revealed in copies of emails obtained by The Times following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

And although the majority of the information is redacted, the emails are said to show that James Cleverly, a Conservative MP who was foreign secretary in the lead-up to this year's general election, asked for information about the case against City.

A request for updates was also made by the British Embassy in Dubai in May 2024.

One of the responses explained the details around the case, and the Foreign Office remained insistent that the case against City was an independent process being carried out by the Premier League, and that it did not have any involvement.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office told The Times that it could not provide full details surrounding its discussions over City, stating: "The effective conduct of international relations depends upon maintaining trust and confidence between governments.

"This relationship of trust allows for the free and frank exchange of information on the understanding that it will be treated in confidence. If the United Kingdom does not respect such confidences, its ability to promote and protect UK interests through international relations will be hampered, this will not be in the public interest."