Pep Guardiola says he expects Manchester City to discover the outcome of their 115 charges of alleged financial rule breaches NEXT month. And the Etihad boss has promised to air his true feelings on the club’s war with the Premier League once a decision has been made.
The soon-to-be-deposed champions deny all the charges but could face a vast points deduction – or even the threat of relegation – if they are found guilty following a three-month hearing, which concluded just before Christmas. City splashed out more than £175million on Abdukodir Khusanov (circle), Vitor Reis, Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez to bolster their squad in January.
But Guardiola has rubbished talk that the club’s biggest-ever winter spending spree was pre-emptive amid fears of a transfer ban should they lose their legal battle. He said: “I do not agree, but my words will not convince people that our attributes are [not] just being in a wealthy position. In the last five years, we are the last team in the top six for net spend.
“Even after what we have spent in this transfer window, we are away from Chelsea, [Manchester] United, Arsenal, Tottenham, even Liverpool. The reason why is we have sold a lot in the last seasons but, even with that, I know [what people say about] this club, it is always ‘just about the money’.
“Respect the other ones but in one month I think there will be a verdict and a sentence and after we will see my opinion of what happened so far. Still, at the end, every club can do whatever they want.”