PEP GUARDIOLA amazingly declared himself to be “grumpy” with Manchester City for not spending enough on even MORE stars.
He then backtracked, claiming he wasn’t attacking his own club but delivering a putdown to critics who have always claimed City bought their way to their spectacular success.
Pep delivered his jaw-dropping statement by saying: “I don’t understand why the club don’t spend more money.
“So I’m a little but grumpy with them. Why not spend more money?
“So let’s go!”
Yet he stressed later: “It was a joke.”
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But for a while he will have his fabulously-wealthy Abu Dhabi owners choking on their tea for in the last four transfer windows they have funded him to the tune of almost £580million in fees.
The most recent additions were Antoine Semenyo at £65million and Marc Guehi for £20million yet second-place City trail leaders Arsenal by six points after throwing away a two-goal lead in Sunday’s draw at Tottenham.
Critics insist that despite that huge outlay the boss who has won the title six times is now in charge of a re-built side that by comparison to past successes no longer has the same dominance.
What boss Guardiola was really trying to highlight, he went on to insist, was that in the past five years City are seventh in the Prem table in terms of their net spend.
Indeed during those four windows almost £286million has been brought back into the coffers alone.
Yet he could also be accused of trying to deflect from the problems his new look side have faced this season.
Tellingly he added: “You can say an opinion like you say you play good or bad against Spurs, we can agree or disagree.
“Good luck to the six teams who are in front of us for net spend for the last five years.
“That’s a nice quote, eh?”
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