Man City chief cites net spend after defending their transfer ‘risks’ The chief executive of Manchester City has defended their approach in the transfer market. City are one of the richest clubs in the world, and despite the coronavirus pandemic affecting finances across world football, they were still able to spend in the summer transfer window. City broke their transfer record to sign Ruben Dias for more than £60m towards the end of the window, after already spending £40m on Nathan Ake and £21m on Ferran Torres. However, despite their total spend topping £130m, chief executive Ferran Soriano has claimed their activity in the market has been taken out of context. “We have to take risks,” Soriano said at the Leaders in Sport Conference (as quoted by the BBC). “The team is the engine of our business. If we don’t play good football, we have no business. We can’t avoid that. “Sometimes these things are taken out of context. You have to look at the net spend. We sold a player [Leroy Sane to Bayern Munich] for £49m and bought Torres for £23m. “If you believe Covid is a period of time, we have to carry on with our business and we need to keep playing good football. If we need a central defender, we need a central defender.” Soriano critical of English development model Soriano also claimed there is a “development gap” for young English players, which is leading to an unsustainable business model. He hinted that he would like to see B teams introduced into the EFL as one solution. “Look at the development of young players,” he said. “We have a development gap for players aged between 17 and 18 in England where B teams are not allowed. “So, they are taken by the German clubs, who sell them back to us for 10 times the price. This is bad. We need to find ways to make sure the talented English football players can develop here. “We need to solve the economic equation so Football League clubs are sustainable because there is too much of difference between the Championship and Premier League.” READ MORE: Manchester City man opted against loan move to Tottenham The post Man City chief cites net spend after defending their transfer ‘risks’ appeared first on teamtalk.com.

The chief executive of Manchester City has defended their approach in the transfer market.

City are one of the richest clubs in the world, and despite the coronavirus pandemic affecting finances across world football, they were still able to spend in the summer transfer window.

City broke their transfer record to sign Ruben Dias for more than £60m towards the end of the window, after already spending £40m on Nathan Ake and £21m on Ferran Torres.

However, despite their total spend topping £130m, chief executive Ferran Soriano has claimed their activity in the market has been taken out of context.

“We have to take risks,” Soriano said at the Leaders in Sport Conference (as quoted by the BBC).

“The team is the engine of our business. If we don’t play good football, we have no business. We can’t avoid that.

“Sometimes these things are taken out of context. You have to look at the net spend. We sold a player [Leroy Sane to Bayern Munich] for £49m and bought Torres for £23m.

“If you believe Covid is a period of time, we have to carry on with our business and we need to keep playing good football. If we need a central defender, we need a central defender.”

Soriano critical of English development model

 

Soriano also claimed there is a “development gap” for young English players, which is leading to an unsustainable business model.

He hinted that he would like to see B teams introduced into the EFL as one solution.

“Look at the development of young players,” he said. “We have a development gap for players aged between 17 and 18 in England where B teams are not allowed.

“So, they are taken by the German clubs, who sell them back to us for 10 times the price. This is bad. We need to find ways to make sure the talented English football players can develop here.

“We need to solve the economic equation so Football League clubs are sustainable because there is too much of difference between the Championship and Premier League.”

READ MORE: Manchester City man opted against loan move to Tottenham

The post Man City chief cites net spend after defending their transfer ‘risks’ appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Samuel Bannister