Companies House filings show that 11,327,163 new shares were issued in City Football Group on 14 October. They were all acquired by Newton Investment and Development, the investment vehicle wholly owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, increasing his majority stake slightly.
The share issue values the group at close to £6 billion, according to reports on the filing. The move comes as Manchester City contests a ruling concerning 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations.
The club has maintained its innocence and confirmed that it will appeal. The case is due to be considered by a separate independent commission, leaving the dispute unresolved while Mansour continues to fund the holding company.
City Football Group’s portfolio stretches well beyond the Premier League. Its European clubs include Girona in Spain, Lommel SK in Belgium, Troyes in France and Palermo in Italy, alongside Manchester City.
The group also has interests in New York City FC, Montevideo City Torque in Uruguay, Brazilian club Bahia, Melbourne City and Shenzhen Peng City in China. The spread of teams gives the organisation a presence across several football markets and continents.
Manchester City’s ownership structure lists Newton Investment and Development as the majority shareholder. US investment firm Silver Lake holds a significant minority stake of nearly 17 per cent, according to the club’s corporate information.
The latest share issue does not resolve the regulatory case facing City, nor does it change the club’s stated position on the allegations. It does, however, represent a further injection of capital into the wider group as the legal process continues.
The Mirror reported the investment after Companies House filings showed the new shares had been allotted.