On the morning we release our annual report, it’s not transfer news or Barca v City on the media’s minds, it’s our profits that everyone seems to be talking about.
Speaking in the Daily Mail, Professor Tom Cannon, a football finance expert who is based at the University of Liverpool, believes the figures represent ‘phenomenal progress’.
“Any UEFA test over moving in the right direction City would pass with flying colours. The figures are really positive, especially where you look at where they were and where they are now.
“They have tightened up every area of their business and are running a very efficient ship. All they need to do now is win the Champions League and they will be laughing all the way to the bank.’
As well as in terms of business, it has been a very successful start to the season for City as well. The club sits atop of the Premier League and looks to make advances in the domestic cups as well as the Champions League.
Many will remember the days where City were operating at significant losses rather than profits and Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News isn’t one to forget. “In an astonishing turnaround, City have gone from making £98m losses in 2011-12 to profitability for the last two years
“And the record profit they have racked up comes despite last summer’s £150m-plus transfer splurge which included the club’s highest transfer fee of £54m for Kevin De Bruyne, as well as big money for Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Otamendi.
“Key to the financial turnaround has been the growth of the club’s commercial revenue, a major factor in the growth of turnover from £61.8m in 2006 to £391.8m in the figures released today.”
Anybody else had enough mulling over finance and profits for one day? Ok, well how about some transfer news?
Moving swiftly on, multiple sources seem fixated on reporting a potential link to Bayern Munich’s David Alaba. Emre Sarigul of Caught Off Side had this to say about the reports.
“City are not expected to sign Alaba over the winter transfer window but are working on clinching a deal for next season.
“Alaba has worked under the stewardship of Guardiola in the past during the Spanish manager’s time in charge of Bayern.
Just before we head off, we’ll give you a little Barcelona v City preview by way of Sky Sport’s Spanish football columnist, Guillem Balague.
Speaking on FC Barcelona, Balague is under the impression that “they do struggle with control of the game at times, which against big sides could be really important. And there is no doubt that they depend totally on the three big guys.
“Not a bad thing to depend on, as they almost always deliver, but you would expect a team like Barcelona to show even more layers, especially with the ball.”
As for Man City, “Balague believes Pep Guardiola is still lacking some of the players he needs to truly make City his own, particularly at full-back, and that his first season in the Premier League will not be as smooth as first thought.
“This is a team that will have ups and downs throughout the season because the squad is not the one Pep Guardiola requires to play the football he wants.”
Thanks Guillem but we’ll wait and see what happens tomorrow night!
