Guardiola on City investment after CAS ruling
Manchester City are expected to spend considerably this summer despite the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, with Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Leicester left-back Ben Chilwell high on their list of targets.
A relaxing of Financial Fair Play rules and City's successful Champions League appeal will work in their favour, though Pep Guardiola has spoke of missing out on key targets to rivals United despite their huge spending power.
“We have a lot of money, but we wanted Alexis Sanchez and we could not afford it,” he said. “We wanted Harry Maguire and we could not afford it. We could not pay like United paid.
“So we have money, but the other clubs have money too. We spend in the last decade more than it was in the past.
“United with Sir Alex Ferguson spent a lot of money to be there, all the clubs, if you want to be on top, all the clubs, if you don’t it’s more difficult. Because being a good manager like I am, I’m not good enough without good players, no way.
"I am humble enough to accept that without my players I am nothing, zero. That’s why I need my players, and for that I need clubs who are financially strong - like a lot of clubs - to do it.
“United, Arsenal in periods before they win the leagues invest more money than the other ones. When Chelsea start to win Premier Leagues, they invest more money than the other ones.
“I'm a good manager, but I don't win titles if I don't have good players and good players are expensive, but all the clubs spend a lot of money. Barcelona spend a lot of money, [Real] Madrid spend a lot of money, English teams spend a lot of money.
“But if we build the club in terms of the last decade to compete with the elite of the Premier League or Champions League, we need to invest.”
