A new set of leaked documents from Premier League club Manchester City have laid bare the full extent of the club’s financial foul play, sources claim.
Leaked files seen by German magazine Der Spiegel reportedly show that City’s owners paid tens of millions of pounds to the club on behalf of main shirt sponsor Etihad Airways.
Der Spiegel claims that Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), the holding company which also owns Man City, paid £59.5m of Etihad’s annual £67.5m sponsorship fee in 2015, with only £8m coming from the airline.
Sources at Der Spiegel claim to have seen a leaked email from 2015, in which City’s then-chief financial officer Jorge Chumillas informs club director Simon Pearce of ADUG’s contribution.
The email reportedly states: “Please note that out of those 67.5m pounds, 8m pounds should be funded directly by Etihad and 59.5 by ADUG [sic].”
ADUG is owned by Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, better known as Sheikh Mansour, deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and member of the Abu Dhabi royal family.
Uefa would not comment on the allegations due to confidentiality obligations. Manchester City are also yet to comment.