曼城主席卡尔杜恩·阿尔·穆巴拉克于9月14日会见了英国商务大臣乔纳森·雷诺兹，此消息最先由@alexwickham报道。

The meeting was to discuss UAE investment in Britain and came 15 days before the independent Commission published their 40-page redacted verdict finding #MCFC almost entirely guilty on all Premier League charges.

Sources say Al Mubarak met Reynolds as CEO of Mubadala Investment Company. UAE investment in Britain, both now and in the future, was discussed.

There is an insistence from The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) that Manchester City was not directly mentioned.

Government sources now stress the case must fully conclude, inclusive of appeals, before a position is taken.

Yet on Thursday, Number 10 were forced to clarify Andy Burnham's comments stating he would be “really concerned” to lose Manchester City’s owners.

A spokesperson said: "The initial judgement is serious and there can't be any suggestion that anyone is above the rules... It is essential that it [the case] is allowed to run its course and the outcome respected."

The statement had originally added, "If wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the appropriate consequences" before it was hastily amended to "wherever wrongdoing is established..."

The initial wording failed to acknowledge Manchester City have already been found guilty of wrongdoing, which is now subject to an appeal lodged yesterday.