ISL 2019-20: Mumbai City FC term reports of possible take over by Manchester City owners as 'conjecture'

Mumbai: Indian Super League side Mumbai City FC found themselves in the centre of speculation of a possible buy out by EPL club Manchester City’s owners but the ISL franchise on Saturday termed it as “conjecture”. A report in the London tabloid ‘Mirror’ said that City Football Group (CFG), which currently owns Manchester City and six other clubs across the globe, is on the verge of buying the Mumbai based side before the ISL season starts on October 20. “Manchester City owners are poised to finalise a deal to buy Indian Super League side Mumbai City ahead of their new season starting next month. The City Football Group have held talks with a number of Indian clubs as they seek to expand their global reach,” the report said without quoting any official or source. [caption id=“attachment_7419061” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representative image.[/caption] “Mumbai City are now their preferred choice and negotiations with the club’s CEO Indranil Das Blah are almost complete,” it added. An official of the Ranbir Kapoor co-owned side, when contacted, said, “It is a conjecture.” Blah himself refused to comment when asked if Mumbai City FC may be bought by CFG. “I have no comments,” he said. As well as their flagship club Mancheser City, the CFG already owns New York City FC, Melbourne City, Club Atletico Torque in Uruguay and Chinese side Sichuan Jiuniu, as well as holding a stake in Spanish club Girona and Japanese side Yokohama F Marinos. City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano had confirmed in March that the group wanted to get into the Indian market this year, the report said. If CFG takes over Mumbai City FC, the Mumbai-based side will become the eighth club and third in Asia to come under its umbrella. Mumbai City start their season away at Kerala Blasters on October 24.