Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have been unfairly targeted for criticism in the wake of Chelsea’s huge spending spree in the January transfer window.
Chelsea spent in excess of £320 million on eight new signings last month and ended their flurry on deadline day by breaking the British transfer record with a £107m deal for Enzo Fernandez from Benfica.
City have been heavily criticised in the past for their heavy spending and three years ago, nine Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United attempted to keep City’s Champions League ban in place after it was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
But Guardiola feels City have been singled out and is keen to highlight that the club’s net spend is not the highest in the division.
Asked what he thought about Chelsea’s spending during the club’s new ownership, Guardiola replied: ‘It’s not my business.
‘It’s not my business, surprised because it’s not a proper state [funding Chelsea].
‘What I’m concerned [about] is the fact we won 11 titles in the last five years, being the fifth or sixth team for net spend in the Premier League, so this is all what I’m concerned about what we’ve done so far in this time.’
When asked for his thoughts on what the reaction would’ve been if City spent as much as Chelsea over the last two windows, Guardiola replied: ‘I know what would happen.
‘What I said, so being right now the fifth or sixth Premier League team for net spend, we won 11 trophies, four Premier Leagues in the last five years, that’s what really counts for us.
‘What Chelsea have done, what the other clubs have done, it’s not my business.
‘I know exactly what we are working and trying to do our best, of course we need goos players, like what Chelsea believe, and Arsenal, Liverpool, United believe, that without good players you cannot compete. Not just here in the Premier League but in Europe.
‘Now the market is wow, it’s a lot. What Chelsea have decided to do is not my business. I’m never involved in opinions of other clubs because there are regulations and rules they have to follow.
‘I don’t forget, eight or nine teams send a letter to the Premier League [for City] to be banned. That happened to us when we are the fifth team in net spend over the last five years. This is a reality.’
Asked if he feels City are being singled out, Guardiola replied: ‘Where we come from for sure, definitely.
‘It’s not the first time, it’s six or seven years. The best way is focus on what we have to do on the pitch, try to beat Tottenham, our CEOs, our chairmen, our sporting directors and all the people involved try to make the best decisions knowing we can make bad decisions, in football there is not a position where you are completely right, we try to do our best.’
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