Manchester City deny advertising for fans online after apparent appeal for social media influencers

Sources close to the club insisted the advert was posted without the knowledge or permission of anyone at Manchester City

Manchester City have denied advertising for fans online after an apparent appeal for social media influencers.

An advert appeared on Tribe, an app that connects brands with people with large social media followings, ostensibly from the club, seeking influencers to promote Champions League football at the Etihad Stadium.

Sources close to City have denied direct involvement, and suggested that the advert was instead posted by an agency with which the club has worked before – without the knowledge or permission of anyone at the club.

City has not worked with Tribe previously, and have no plans to do so at any point in the future, and were first made aware of the advert after it had been posted.

The Independent understands that the club will now review their relationship with the agency in question.

The advert asked for males aged between 18 and 55 who could create content that is “fan-centric which has an element of FOMO [fear of missing out] at its core” and “showcases the electrifying atmosphere that only Champions League live football matches can deliver”.

It also specified that they were seeking "Mancunians and/or Man City fans".

"The Champions League draw this year has given us 3 relatively unknown teams meaning our core fans are less likely to attend," the advert explained.

The post is since believed to have been taken down at City's request, sources close to the club suggested.

"We want to get across the great atmosphere of the Etihad Stadium through the use of influencers who can tell an authentic and genuine story of what it's like to be at the game."

City have played two Champions League games so far this season, against Dinamo Zagreb and Atalanta.

Both attracted attendances in the region of 49,000.

The comfortable 5-1 win over Atalanta this week took Pep Guardiola's side five points clear at the top of Group C having won all three of their games.