3 weeks ago
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Basic maths innit | Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images
The Manchester City boss once again clutches his pearls at the suggestions that his success is predicated on unlimited funds as the PR wing of a human rights abusing petrostate.
The Premier League will soon conclude it’s approximately 84-year investigation into the (alleged) financial fuckery by Manchester City.
In a way that definitely doesn’t scream “we are preparing for the worst,” Manchester City spent the last transfer window outspending all other 19 Premier League clubs and tying Erling Haaland down to a a life long contract (9.5 years, or until his batteries need to be replaced, whichever comes first).
However, according to Pep Guardiola, there is nothing to see here. Money is not the key to Manchester City’s success. Nope. Not al all.
“I do not agree, but my words will not convince people that our attributes are (not) just being in a wealthy position,” Pep said in a pre-match press conference.
“In the last five years, we are the last team in the top six for net-spend. Even after what we have spent in this transfer window, we are away from Chelsea, (Manchester) United, Arsenal, Tottenham, even from Liverpool.”
“The reason why is we have sold a lot in the last seasons but, even with that, I know (people say about) this club, it is always ‘just about the money’.”
Of course, the Premier League are not investigating the last five seasons, but rather the decade or so until 2018, a period during which City built up a world-class squad, largely by taking the absolute piss and wildly outspending every other club.
So Pep’s assertion that City have been good little boys over the last 5 years, and specifically the last 5 years—a period, which should be noted, the club did everything in their power to obstruct and delay rulings from both the Premier League and UEFA—rings a wee bit hollow.
Hopefully the Premier League does the decent thing and either relegates these out of the Football League entirely, or maybe just liquidates them and sells off Haaland for parts. But given the state of the world, the gentlest of slaps on the wrist seems more likely.
