Guardiola Reveals Why Man City Refuse to Splurge like Chelsea; The Truth Behind Their Fair Pay Policy

Pep Guardiola has warned that Manchester City would face dire consequences if they matched the exorbitant amounts spent by Chelsea in the past year. The club's spending has been heavily criticized since Sheikh Mansour's acquisition in 2008, and they currently face 115 charges from the Premier League for alleged financial regulation violations.

Guardiola stressed that their approach has consistently been cautious, unlike Todd Boehly's ownership group at Stamford Bridge. The recent addition of former City academy player Romeo Lavia has pushed their spending close to £1bn since last summer. Although City has already secured signings like Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, they may need to enter the market again due to Kevin De Bruyne's potential five-month absence and uncertainty surrounding Cole Palmer's future. However, Guardiola made it clear that they will only pay reasonable prices.

Guardiola expressed his disbelief at the idea of Manchester City spending as much as Chelsea has in their past two transfer windows. He jokingly stated that such expenses would surely bring about extreme criticism and scrutiny towards him and the club. Furthermore, Guardiola debunked the notion that he personally possesses an unlimited amount of money to acquire the players that Manchester City has.

"We need to observe market developments and decide if we can proceed and offer what we consider a reasonable price.

"We had interest in signing (Harry) Maguire but we opted not to because of the financial demands. Similarly, we were interested in (Marc) Cucurella but decided against making a payment. We also desired to secure Alexis Sanchez but did not proceed with the payment."

"In the end we will pay what is fair to do it. Otherwise, we have the academy."

Guardiola was adamant he was not criticising Chelsea, but the Catalan clearly feels a sense of double standards.

"They have the freedom to do as they please," he emphasized. "I don't condemn Chelsea in any way. What I'm trying to convey is that if we were to follow suit, we would face severe consequences worldwide. They are at liberty to spend as much as they desire...

"Whether they opt to invest an additional £900m since (Boehly) joined, or an extra 900 million on top of that, it is within their means. It's simply the nature of their business. Considering their substantial sales this season, they have the capacity for such expenditures."

I dislike being criticized for what we do and for my opinions. Each person has their own responsibilities and makes decisions that they believe are best for the club.

Everyone benefits from this situation. Can you honestly say that you are greatly enjoying the transfer window? The constant updates on Sky TV about new players, one after another, it's quite amusing.

The ambitious Saudi Pro League has injected a significant amount of cash into this summer's transfer window, causing a shake-up. Manchester City has made transfers, selling Riyad Mahrez to Al Ahli and accepting an offer from Al Nassr for Aymeric Laporte.

Guardiola expressed his thoughts on the matter, stating, "People often criticize Saudi Arabia and its clubs. However, they are warmly welcomed with open arms, as if on a red carpet. It's like they have unlimited resources. Despite the complaints, everyone still embraces the opportunity."

Man City to go into market for De Bruyne replacement

With De Bruyne set for surgery on a hamstring injury, Guardiola said he was speaking to director of football Txiki Begiristain about their options in the window.

"We may need to consider adding another player," stated Guardiola. "Personally, I prefer a smaller squad. However, Kevin's injury has altered our perspective. He is an essential player, and his absence will last not just a few weeks, but four or five months. Additionally, given his age of 32 and his physically demanding style of play, we must carefully assess our squad and contemplate our next steps while maintaining control."

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