Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has recently responded to critics questioning the club's spending during this summer’s transfer window. In a cheeky dig at Liverpool and other rivals, he pointed out that his team is not the only one investing heavily in new players.
This summer, Manchester City has made significant investments in their squad. The club has brought on board several talented players including Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Sverre Nypan and James Trafford. These acquisitions are part of the club's strategy to strengthen its lineup and maintain its competitive edge in the Premier League.
However, it is important to note that Manchester City isn't alone in making big moves this transfer window. Liverpool have also spent approximately £300m on transfers. They've added Florian Wirtz to their roster in a deal potentially costing £116m and Hugo Ekitike for a fee that could reach up to £79m.
Chelsea and Manchester United join the spending race
In addition to Liverpool and Man City's spending spree this summer transfer window saw Chelsea and Manchester United combinedly spend over £400m on incoming players. This highlights how top-tier clubs are willing to invest heavily for success.
When quizzed about his side’s spending habits during a recent press conference, Guardiola was quick with his response: it wasn’t just his club who have spent big this summer.
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager, said:
“If the clubs spend it, it’s because with the strict Financial Fair Play rules, because they can do it. And yeah, apparently it’s not just Man City, right?. Everyone does what they believe is the best for the team, and I know our net spend in 10 or 11 years is amazing – just take a look. I know it’s just, ‘Spend! Spend!’ No, the question is if you spend, it’s because you sell. Otherwise you cannot spend.
“But every club does what they want! We spend a lot, right. And net spend is fantastic. And we won. This business is the fact if you win, right? And the people spend to win, at the level that you can. But in this league, for many reasons, we have more resources to do it, and if they do it it’s because they want to try – and we’ll see on the pitch what happens!”
The summer transfer window has always been a time for clubs to strengthen their squads. This year was no different as top-tier teams like Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United all spent big in hopes of securing success in the upcoming season.
