Man City would be ‘killed’ for Chelsea spending, Guardiola laments
Manchester City Manager, Pep Gaudiola has lamented the spending spree of North London club, Chelsea Football Club in the current transfer period.
Guardiola lamented Manchester City would be “killed” if they spent as much money on new signings as Chelsea have over the last 12 months.
Since Sheikh Mansour took over the club in 2008, City’s spending has drawn considerable attention, and the team is currently dealing with 115 Premier League charges for alleged financial rule violations.
But Guardiola insists that, in contrast to Todd Boehly’s ownership group at Stamford Bridge’s extravagant expenditure, their strategy had always been sensible.
Since the start of last summer, Chelsea has spent about £1 billion ($1.2 million).
Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic cost City a total of £100 million to acquire during this transfer window, but Guardiola was ready to criticize Chelsea’s exorbitant fees.
“I couldn’t sit here if we spent what Chelsea spent in the last two transfer windows – you would kill me,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
“You will kill me. That is for sure. We’d be under scrutiny like you couldn’t imagine. When people say just Manchester City and Pep Guardiola buy players, I didn’t know I had a lot of money in my pocket to buy all the players I have.
“We have to see what happens in the market and if we can do it and to pay what we believe is fair.
“We wanted (Harry) Maguire and didn’t buy him because we didn’t want to pay. We wanted (Marc) Cucurella and didn’t pay. We wanted Alexis Sanchez and didn’t pay.
“In the end, we will pay what is fair to do it. Otherwise, we have the academy.”
Guardiola tried to insist he was not criticising Chelsea, but the Catalan clearly feels a sense of double standards.
“They can do what they want,” he added. “I don’t criticise Chelsea for one second. I’m saying, if we do it, we are dead, all around the world. They can do whatever they want.
“If they want to spend, I don’t know, £900 million since (Boehly) arrived, 900 more, 900 more. They have it. The business is the business. They sell a lot this season so they can do it.
“Everybody wins. Tell me the truth: are you enjoying a lot the transfer window? This player, the other one, every few minutes on Sky TV, a new player here, new player there. It’s so funny.”
