El Manchester City have spent without remorse in the transfer market since Abu Dhabi bought the club in 2008.. The 2,250 million euros invested, according to ‘Transfermarkt’, since then in footballers have raised them to the top of English football (they have won four of the last five Leagues) and the Champions League (finalists in 2021 and semifinalists in 2022). However, the account was unbalanced (they had only entered 774 ‘kilos’ in that period) …. until this year.
“One of the things I’ve learned over the seasons is that you need to constantly add talent to the team, especially when you’re at a high level,” said chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak. A plan in which the ‘cityzens’ have already been reinforced this summer with the goals of Haaland (60 million), the route of Kalvin Phillips (48.75) and the hands of Stefan Ortega (free) improving a squad that last season conquered the Premier.
Acquisitions to which the promising Julián Álvarez (17 kilos) joined winter, reaching 125.75 in 2022. An expense that the City has balanced with juicy exits. In the last seven months, the sky blues have entered 179.8 million in sales of Ferran (55), Gabriel Jesus (52.2), Porro (8.5), Itakura (5)… which will be rounded off with Sterling’s (59.1) to Chelsea soon. The marches of the Spanish attacker to Barcelona in January and the Brazilian to Arsenal in June have balanced some accounts that will have +54 million when the English winger lands at the Bridge [ver gráfico].
no red numbers
They have broken the trend of the two seasons prior to last, when their cost-sales balance was -95.65 ‘kilos’ in 2020-21 and -88.52 in 2019-20. “There are teams that invest 300 million in two players. We do it in six. Good footballers are expensive. We had to invest, it was necessary“, warned in 2018 a Guardiola who is clear about how they should act at the Etihad. “I cannot retain a footballer who does not play because he has a contract.”
One of the things I’ve learned over the seasons is that you need to constantly add talent to the team, especially when you’re at a high level.
And so a Sterling and a Gabriel Jesus left, whose contract ends in 2023. With Gündogan and Mahrez, also a year away from the end of their ties, they are working on renewing them. In addition, others like Aké or Zinchenko could leave Manchester. The numbers come out to a City that is the team that has received the most money (124.8) this summer (once the departure of the Englishman is confirmed) above Benfica (104.3), Monaco (95), Porto (79.5)…
Haaland surprises dancing in his presentation with City
“The current squad is very good. We need to change only what we need to change: a striker and a midfielder to replace Fernandinho,” he said on the ‘Dr. Football’ CEO Ferran Soriano. And they have already done it… while they wait for Cucurella (Brighton) and sell several of their footballers. They are the ones who have spent the most (108.75) and the ones who have entered the most. In addition, they will exceed 200 when they count the marches of the youth squad Bazunu (14 ‘kilos’ to Southampton), Lavia (12.3 to ‘Soton’ himself), Gyabi (5.8 to Leeds)… They are not in the red .
