If you cast your minds back to a few months ago, Pep Guardiola was tiredly protesting that he did not have the funds to spend on a new striker, even going as far to say that it is ‘impossible’. Yet, low and behold, the transfer window is open and the Citizens looks like they’re about to play their very own version of Supermarket Sweep in the Premier League. Manchester City’s summer spending may not have started, but when it does, expect them to have trolley full of Dom Perignon to add to their bottle of Armand de Brignac already waiting at home.
Meanwhile, in the trolley next to them, Jurgen Klopp will likely have a crate of cheap beer and Asda’s own brand of pizza to top it off. And that’s a dangerous scenario for the Premier League because Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are City’s closest rivals. Yet they are the cheap beer to the expensive Champaign. That only ends one way: Pure dominance.
For years, people have aimed digs towards Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga for Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich’s yearly dominance. Now, if Manchester City’s summer spending does consist of Jack Grealish, Harry Kane and Reece James, as reported, English football will become the very thing fans mocked.
Manchester City’s Summer Summer Spending Could Damage the Premier League
Slowly Ruining the Spectacle
The spectacle of English football has always been the potential of the underdog; the attraction of the unpredictable; the unthinkable. But in the last four years, at the very summit, we’ve lacked that unpredictability. Instead, barring Leicester City’s FA Cup success, those with the deepest pockets have reigned supreme. And, if they fail to reign supreme, they launch until their bank accounts, which show a figure not many can even make out, to take a step above the rest once again.
Of course, Manchester City are not the only culprits of this. Chelsea spent over £200 million last summer, Liverpool splashed out £75 million on Virgil van Dijk a few years back and Manchester United spent a record fee on Harry Maguire. The point is that City’s spending look set to be the latest and the most detrimental to the Premier League. Chelsea did not buy from their rivals, Liverpool bought from Southampton, Manchester United bought from Leicester. They were not harming their direct competition.
Manchester City, on the other hand, are reportedly keen to take Chelsea’s Reece James and Tottenham Hotspurs’ Harry Kane. If they land Harry Kane, in particular, it will be almost comedic. Guardiola would have done the impossible, according to him in April. It really is an inspirational story when a club with so much money completes the impossible of signing someone for so much money.
Manchester City’s Potential Summer Spending Should Secure Champions League Win
Losing out to Chelsea in last year’s final must have left a sour taste in the mouths of those involved with Manchester City. They dominated the Premier League, won the League Cup and were desperate to complete the treble. Thomas Tuchel had other ideas, however. After knocking the Citizens out of the FA Cup and beating them in the Premier League, he landed one last knock out blow in what was meant to keep them out for the count.
Except, it seems that being forced to watch another team celebrate something they dreamed of gave City a frightening wake up call and one that has ignited their summer spending. If they complete the deals they are reported to want then a Champions League win is a must next season.
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