Pep Guardiola pointed out the high net spending of six Premier League clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester United, and joked he was “grumpy” that Manchester City’s leaders did not spend more.
Manager Josep Guardiola speaks out about City’s spending (Image: Naomi Baker – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Manager Josep Guardiola has taken aim at Manchester City’s reputation for spending, quipping that he is frustrated by Manchester City’s hierarchy for not investing more in the transfer window.
City signed Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi in January, taking their spend in the past 12 months to £430m. But Guardiola points out that his club is still not the most lavish of spenders.
In the past five years, he has made back hundreds of millions of dollars through retirement. Six clubs, including Carabao Cup semi-final opponents Newcastle, have a higher net spend than City.
Guardiola has repeatedly challenged the perception surrounding the club that much of its achievements are due to finances, but he couldn’t help but stress that the expectations and burden should fall on the six teams who have invested more than him: United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Newcastle and Liverpool.
“I’m a bit sad and upset because for the last five years we’ve been seventh in the Premier League in terms of net spending. I’d like to be first but I don’t understand why clubs don’t spend more money. I’m a bit miffed at them,” he said.
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“But just as we won because we spent more in the past, now six teams have to win the Premier League, the Champions League and the FA Cup because we spent more in the last five years. These are facts, not opinions.”
“You can have an opinion, we can agree or disagree, just like saying we played well or played badly against Spurs, but those are the facts.
“Good luck to the six teams ahead of us in net spending over the last five years. Let’s go. We’ll be waiting. Great words.”
Pep Guardiola has advocated a transfer (Image: Nigel French/Allstar, Getty Images)
City hold a 2-0 advantage over Newcastle heading into the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final and will be hoping to secure another trip to Wembley.
“This is the point for today and tomorrow: we have a chance to reach the final of the Carabao Cup for the fifth time in 10 years.
“Obviously it’s a good result. We’d like to start 2-0 but we know how many times we’ll play Newcastle and they pride themselves as a Champions League team,” he said.
“We have to prepare, how the players recover from the tough game at Spurs, play with our officials and fans and try to get to Wembley in March.”
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