Saturday’s FA Cup final will be the first ever Manchester derby meeting at this stage of the competition, and United will have the added incentive of trying to prevent their eternal rivals from matching their exclusive 1999 treble-winning season. Much has been made over City’s boundless financial backing as they stand just weeks away from history, but we are putting that notion under the microscope by comparing Manchester United vs Manchester City net spend figures since Pep Guardiola arrived.
Manchester United have been forced to come to terms with living in their neighbours’ shadow, which looms ever larger at the prospect of a first ever club treble.
Fortunately for the Red Devils, they will have a say in whether Pep Guardiola’s serial winners can achieve that feat, and in doing so can keep English treble winners an exclusive one-member club.
Saturday’s FA Cup final carries a heightened sense of grandeur given what’s at stake – so many narratives are feeding into what will almost certainly make for one of the more memorable finals in recent history.
Of course, if Manchester City do indeed back up their claim as clear favourites and complete two-thirds of the trifecta, the inexorable discussion as to their financial legitimacy will surface once more.
With over 100 breaches put forward by the Premier League in relation to financial regulations, it has and will continue to muddy the waters for any of the club’s silverware moving forward.
Nevertheless, there is no doubting their recruitment and on-field vision has been implemented to great effect. The cohesion between Pep Guardiola and the sporting hierarchy is reflected by their unprecedented success.
They are certainly not the only Premier League club to spend vast amounts on fresh acquisitions – Chelsea’s capitulation this year after dropping the largest single-season sum ever is a prime example of why City’s model is so effective.
Elsewhere, United’s gungo-ho approach to the transfer market and offerings of bloated wage packages in recent years is often overlooked, but how does their net spend compare to this weekend’s FA Cup final opponents?
Over a Decade Has Passed Since Manchester United and Manchester City Last Met in the FA Cup
Manchester United vs Manchester City Net Spend
Taking into account in-goings and out-goings since Pep Guardiola arrived in 2016-17, below you will find the total net spend of each of this year’s FA Cup finalists.
Interestingly, and perhaps rather alarmingly for United, their total figure stands at just below double that of the newly-crowned Premier League champions.
Within that time frame, a succession of managers have attempted to navigate United through a puzzling period of highs and lows with just three trophies to show for it, compared to City’s 10.
Transfer figures supplied by Transfermarkt.
Manchester United Net Spend
Total Spent: £1.077billion
Total Sold: £242million
Total Net Spend: £835million
Manchester City Net Spend
Total Spent: £1.074billion
Total Sold: £596million
Total Net Spend: £478million
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