Pep Guardiola has jokingly hit out at Manchester City's spending record, pointing to the fact that six teams have a bigger net spend over the past five years
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 28: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between Manchester City and Galatasaray A.S. at City of Manchester Stadium on January 28, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, spent big in the January transfer window(Image: Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
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Pep Guardiola jokingly expressed his dissatisfaction with Manchester City's board for not splashing more cash in the transfer window - taking a dig at their reputation for big spending. City brought in one player who was close to signing for Liverpool in the summer, in Marc Guehi, and another who had been linked with them, Antoine Semenyo, pushing their expenditure over the past year to £430m.
However, they've also raked in hundreds of millions from player sales and over the past five years six teams - including their Carabao Cup semi-final rivals Newcastle United - have outspent City in net terms.
Guardiola, who has consistently protested against the club's perceived success due to money, seized the chance to shift the expectation and pressure onto the six teams that have outlaid more than them: Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle and Liverpool, who his side visit in the Premier League this weekend.
And the City boss, reports the Manchester Evening News, quipped: "I'm a little bit sad and upset because in net spend the last five years we are seventh in the Premier League. I want to be the first, I don't understand why the club don't spend more money. I am a little bit grumpy with them.
"But like we won in the past because we spent a lot, now six teams have to win the Premier Leagues, Champions Leagues and FA Cups because they spend more in the last five years. These are facts. It's not an opinion.
"You can say an opinion, like you say you play good or bad against Spurs - we can agree or disagree. But they are facts. Good luck to the six teams who are in front of us for net spend for the last five years.
"Let's go, I'm waiting. That's a nice quote, eh?"
City possess a comfortable 2-0 cushion over Newcastle as they prepare for the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, with aspirations of securing another Wembley appearance if they can manage what has proved challenging this season - protecting their lead.
Guardiola said: "This is the point of today and tomorrow. We have a chance to make our fifth final in 10 years in the Carabao Cup.
"Of course a good result, I prefer to start 2-0 up but I know how many times we play against Newcastle and the pride they have as a Champions League team
"We have to be prepared and see how the players recover from a tough game at Spurs and play our game with our people and our fans and try to reach Wembley in March."