Podcast examines Manchester City's 'billionaire sheikhs' ownership and contract accusations

A new podcast episode examines the accusations surrounding Manchester City's ownership and related business dealings, with journalist Jonathan Liew explaining the substance of the allegations involving the club's Gulf ownership and disputed contracts.

The episode also features Guardian features writer Simon Hattenstone, who has supported Manchester City for more than fifty years, offering a personal perspective on what it feels like to follow a club under sustained scrutiny over its finances and governance. Hattenstone describes his relationship with the club as one built on long stretches of modest results punctuated by periods of extraordinary success.

The accusations discussed in the episode relate to long-running questions about the financial arrangements underpinning Manchester City's rise since its acquisition by Gulf investors, including scrutiny of sponsorship contracts and their alignment with football's financial fair play regulations. The club has previously denied wrongdoing in relation to similar allegations raised by football governing bodies.

Liew's explanation situates the current allegations within a broader history of regulatory challenges facing Manchester City, which has faced extensive investigation by the Premier League over alleged breaches of financial rules, claims the club has consistently contested.

Hattenstone's personal account adds a fan's perspective to the discussion, illustrating how supporters navigate their attachment to a club amid prolonged scrutiny of its ownership and finances, a tension increasingly familiar to fans of several top European football clubs owned by state-linked investors.