The UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he "would be really concerned" if Manchester City's owners sell the club following the guilty verdict for breaching Premier League financial rules.
Burnham's comments came after the chair of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) said the ruling "raises serious issues" and pointed out the body has the power to assess the suitability of club owners and executives once proceedings come to a close, with City having already indicated their intention to appeal.
An independent commission concluded City "clearly intended to circumvent Premier League rules" by inflating revenue and hiding costs through a series of "sham" commercial deals over a nine-season period.
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On Wednesday, the prime minister -- former mayor of Greater Manchester -- thanked City Football Group, the club's holding company, for the money it had invested into Manchester and said he would not want them to stop owning the Premier League club.
"I would be really concerned to lose them," he said when asked by the BBC if he was worried about them selling the club.
"They've been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester. Obviously, the building of Manchester City into the global force that it is."
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would be concerned to lose City Football Group as owners of Manchester City. Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images Asked if all his dealings with Manchester City while he was mayor will stand up to scrutiny, he said: "Oh indeed. I do actually thank the City Football Group and the wider ownership for the money that they didn't just put into the Etihad and the campus around it but also into the city, but yes of course."
Burnham said he is "not getting directly involved in the process," adding: "I have to keep my distance from it. It would be wrong for me to do anything else. It's an independent legal process that has to play its course through... There's a lot at stake. Let's be honest about that, for the football club, for city supporters, for the city of Manchester."
Earlier, IFR chair David Kogan outlined the powers the regulator could bring into play should the appeal board broadly uphold the decision of the original commission.
"The independent commission's decision raises serious issues," Kogan said.