MANCHESTER CITY’s historic treble led to one of their most troubling transfer windows ever, club chief Txiki Begiristain has revealed.
City emulated their bitter local rivals Manchester United in the 2022/23 season by winning the Champions League, FA Cup and Premier League.
But their success, according to Begiristain, prompted a slew of players – some of whom left the Etihad the following summer – to lay down ultimatums to the club.
The Spaniard said in the soon-to-released Together: 4 in a Row documentary: “The transfer window was a bit awful.
“At least for me. After winning the Treble, everyone was confused.
“The protagonists from those trophies were thinking they should get more or new contracts and take the opportunities.
“And the ones who didn’t play in finals were p***ed off and trying to get out from the club.”
Cole Palmer, Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte and Ilkay Gundogan would all leave the Etihad in the months that followed City’s treble.
And the club broke their wage structure in order to stop skipper Kyle Walker from joining German giants Bayern Munich.
The slew of departures, however, didn’t stop City from winning a historic fourth Premier League title on the trot last season in what was set to be manager Pep Guardiola‘s penultimate season with the club.
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MAN CITY are favourites to win the Premier League title yet again – but there is one elephant in the room that threatens to put the skids under the Etihad giants.
Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the next few months could hold with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS….
Custis: So the big question – will there be a resolution this season?
Lipton: Yes…. probably! We know the case will start to be dealt with in October or November.
It will take at least a month to go through the evidence. So I suspect around March, April time, we will get a result. But that’s where it starts to get tricky.
Custis: Why is that?
Lipton: If the result is in City’s favour, that’s the end of the matter. They will be cleared. They will have no punishment to face.
But if City are found guilty, these will be the heaviest penalties ever imposed by the Premier League.
I suspect if they are found guilty, they will be expelled from the league or given a massive points deduction and a huge fine so that they’re not in the Premier League next season.
Check out the full discussion on Man City’s future.
But the Spaniard is said to be on the verge of inking a new deal with the Citizens.
It’s claimed Guardiola, who was on the FA‘s shortlist of candidates to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager, is on course to sign a new one-year deal at Eastlands.
Manchester City will be back in action on Saturday evening, welcoming Tottenham to the Etihad.
