In the pursuit of glory, Premier League clubs continue to spend vast amounts of money improving their squads every summer.
For Manchester City, their giant outlay paid off during the 2022/23 campaign as they clinched the treble by winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
However, despite the silverware success, the club must show that splashing the cash to land star names is sustainable and adhere to Financial Fair Play rules.
So, what is Manchester City’s financial situation? How much can the Cityzens spend during the 2023/24 campaign? and are they in trouble with FFP?
Let’s take a look.
Manchester City FFP Report
Premier League champions Manchester City have been charged with breaking Financial Fair Play rules around 100 times over a nine-year period, starting in 2009.
As we explained in another study, the Premier League has its own Financial Fair Play rules which all 20 clubs must comply with. One of the rules clubs must adhere to is that a team must not register a loss that exceeds £105million over a rolling three-year period.
Man City have spent close to £900 million on new players since 2017 but, as we will soon see from the table below, the club have also recouped just over £460 million from sales in the same period.
The club will aim to clear its name having been charged for being in breach of FFP rules. However, if the club is found guilty, City could be fined or face a points deduction. It has also been reported that in the most serious circumstances, teams could face expulsion from the Premier League.
Are Manchester City in Trouble with FFP?
Yes, Manchester City are in trouble with FFP and were charged in February 2023 with 115 alleged rule breaches.
The Premier League accused Manchester City of breaching numerous rules including failing to follow their rules on profit and sustainability, failing to comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations and failing to provide accurate financial information.
The case has been referred to an independent commission by the Premier League.
How Much Can Manchester City Spend in 2023/24?
Manchester City are set to have the biggest transfer budget in football history during the summer of 2023.
That’s according to The Telegraph, who report that City’s shrewd deals in the transfer market, together with their prize money for winning plenty of trophies, has given them even more funds to spend strengthening the team.
The Manchester club made a profit during the summer of 2022 before going on to win three pieces of silverware and so, with the possibility of cashing in on more of their current squad an added boost, they will head into the transfer market with plenty of wriggle room to spend large sums.
Manchester City Finances
Manchester City, in the summer of 2023, are the richest football club on the planet.
The Abu Dhabi-owned outfit are in rude financial health and saw its total revenue increase from £571.1 million in 2020/21 to £619.1 million in 2021/22.
Following the success of the last campaign, the figures are expected to grow next year too when City announce the impact of their title win and cup triumphs.
Of course, due to FFP rules and regulations, it remains to be seen exactly how much City will spend on new players throughout the season with FFP charges hanging over the club.
Manchester City P+L (Profit and Loss)
In this section we’ll reveal the profits and losses registered by Manchester City between the 2016/17 season and 2021/22 campaign as published by the club’s statement of accounts.
| Season | P+L (£) |
| 2016/17 | 39.1m |
| 2017/18 | 38.8m |
| 2018/19 | -126m |
| 2019/20 | 2.4m |
| 2020/21 | -44.6m |
| 2021/22 | 41.7m |
The data shows Manchester City have made a profit in four of the six campaigns. During the 2020/21 campaign when clubs were forced to play all games behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic, City lost crucial matchday revenue and reported a loss of £44.6million.
The Etihad outfit will be looking to develop the team further following their treble success and could well cash in on squad players during the 2023/24 campaign.
Due to the club’s on-field success, many of the squad players who could move on, still command a sizeable transfer fee which further boosts City’s ability to bolster the team.
Manchester City Transfer Net Spend Year-by-Year
Here, we’ll take a closer look at City’s net spend across the last six seasons as calculated by Transfermarkt. The figure is the sum of all transfer dealings conducted between 2017/18 and 2022/23. It consists of both buys and sales.
If a club splashes a bigger total amount on new signings compared to the transfer fees collected from sales, the net spend will be positive. However, this figure will be negative if the money the club receives is greater than its outgoings.
| Season | Buys | Sales | Net Spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | €317.5m | €91.35m | €226.15m |
| 2018/19 | €78.59m | €57.6m | €20.99m |
| 2019/20 | €166.82m | €71m | €95.82m |
| 2020/21 | €173.4m | €64m | €109.4m |
| 2021/22 | €138.9m | €93.8m | €45.1m |
| 2022/23 | €150.5m | €162.17m | -€11.76m |
| Total | €1025.7m | €539.92 | €485.78 |
Manchester City’s net spend is €485.78million when taking into account their transfer dealings over the last six campaigns.
They have received €539.92 in player sales but have spent close to double that tally on new signings. However, it is a positive as the players bought in that time have contributed to the most successful era in the club’s history.
These trophy victories have seen an increase in prize money and revenue as City often go deep into knockout tournaments.
What is the Financial Situation with Manchester City?
Manchester City have worked smartly overall though the alleged breaches do cast a shadow currently.
Despite this, the club’s finances are extremely healthy and they have the funds to continue building a dynasty. Of course, FFP restricts City from buying an entire new team but the funds are there and so no player is out of reach.
City have continually shown they can successfully move players on and command sizeable fees which helps the cause greatly.
