'Man City bought all my players': Recalling what Wenger said when City got a slap on the wrist for breaching FFP

Over the years, Arsene Wenger has had little sympathy for Manchester City being scrutinised for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

Calling them out for over-spending in the market, the Arsenal legend said at the 20th Laureus Sports Awards in 2020: "City bought all of my players!

"My belief is that sport is about trying to win by respecting the rules. We celebrate the best in every sport – but only if we know the winners respect the rules.

"If there is no respect then it's not real sport. The table is always linked to the amount of money clubs spend on players.

"Historically it was about the turnover of clubs – and more or less it used to be pretty much the same. But the financial strength of the top clubs has become stronger than it was 20 or 30 years ago."

Wenger continued: "I was always in favour of financial control on clubs and income that is not natural.

"I am also convinced that the rules still have to evolve into something better – but at the moment they are what they are. If it is proven that this has been done on purpose then City cannot go unpunished.

"I don't know the case well enough to say what kind of punishment has to be made.

"I don't know if it is planned to take City's title away because I don't know the rules well enough.

"But the difference between the big clubs and the smaller clubs has become bigger - and we can now predict with accuracy what is going to happen in every league."

Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna all left Arsenal to join cash-rich City.

Wenger's words make perfect sense now, as City have been charged with 100 FFP breaches.

Of course, our former boss was speaking about the same issue when the Sky Blues were banned from the UEFA Champions League for failing to meet FFP regulations.

Source: Daily Mirror