Manchester City's winter spending spree is a clear sign that they are confident of winning their legal case over alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play.
City's lavish spending suggests confidence in legal case
Finance expert Stefan Borson believes that Manchester City's £175m spending spree in the January transfer window is a sign of their confidence in winning their legal case over alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play. The Citizens are currently awaiting the outcome of the Premier League's 115 charges against them, which include allegations that they broke spending rules by failing to provide accurate information across a nine-year spell between 2009 and 2018, as well as claims that they subverted UEFA FFP rules.
Signings show no fear of repercussions
Despite the ongoing legal case, City forked out over £175m on four first-team players in January, including £50m on Nico Gonzalez from Porto and a deal rising to £63m for Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt. Borson believes that this spending, along with the stadium rebuild, suggests a level of confidence from the club that they will win their legal case.
Haaland's contract extension another sign of confidence
Erling Haaland's recent record long-term contract extension, keeping him at the club for a further nine years, is also seen as a sign of confidence in the club's future. Borson believes that if the club had serious doubts about the outcome of the legal case, they would have been more cautious in their spending and contract negotiations.
City's spending contributes to record Premier League total
Manchester City's heavy spending in the January transfer window contributed to a Premier League total of £403m, the third biggest on record for a winter window. The Citizens were the biggest spenders across Europe and were the only Premier League team to spend at least £50m.
