LA Liga president Javier Tebas has accused Manchester City of distorting the transfer market and causing massive damage to European football due to their ‘petrol’ money.
Tebas, speaking at the Financial Times’ Business of Football summit, claimed City’s and Paris Saint-Germain’s ownership model causes an imbalance in football and has led the sport to be stretched to its economic limits.
Pep Guardiola’s City have just won the domestic treble in England and some have suggested the club’s spending under their Abu Dhabi owners has made success inevitable. The club are currently facing an investigation from Uefa over Financial Fair Play.
Tebas said: “Clubs should get their income out of revenue they generate. The problem with City and PSG is they are state run clubs. It means if they want to sign a player, petrol money and gas money.”
“The damage is massive for European football. They are inflating the market to the extent other clubs have to spend ludicrous money to keep their main players. Juventus, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich...they need to make prices higher so state funded clubs don’t snatch players.”
Tebas also distanced himself from speculation linking him with a move to the Premier League. The English competition is looking for a new chief executive following the departure of Richard Scudamore.
“No,” he said. “I am very happy in Spain. I really think the person in the post Scudamore was fantastic chief exec. He was doing a great job.”
