‘Absolutely’ – Pep Guardiola breaks Man City silence over season ticket rises
Pep Guardiola continues to need the Manchester City fans yet they have been left feeling like the club doesn’t value them as highly amid a season ticket row
Pep Guardiola manager of Manchester City reacts towards the fans.
Pep Guardiola thinks Manchester City fans will put their understandable upset at the club on hold on Sunday to support the team ‘unconditionally’ against Arsenal.
Guardiola used another press conference on Friday to call for fans to help make an impact as his team take on Arsenal and Aston Villa in the space of four days at the Etihad aiming to make serious inroads in the Premier League title race. The City coach appreciated the noise in the stadium for the Manchester derby and wants a repeat for the rest of the season.
However, while Guardiola counts on the value of the supporters to the team the club want fans to pull more weight financially. Amid a backdrop of record profits and revenues, season ticket rises were emailed to supporters last week with an average increase of five per cent that led to all four fan groups to strongly react against it.
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Nobody from the club has spoken publicly about the price rises and how none of the supporter groups have been listened to as the club press on with season ticket renewals at a higher rate. Guardiola said that he ‘absolutely’ understood the upset around the ‘sensitive issue’ but was confident that fans would continue to back the players.
“The people will forget at the start of the game and will support us unconditionally,” he said. “The team is the team.
“About [season tickets], I’m not involved. I respect all opinions. I know it is a sensitive issue but I know that tomorrow they will be with us unconditionally. The club will say what they have to say but I cannot say more.”
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Manchester City expect over £200 million in player sales this summer – Insider speculates on possible outgoings
Officials within Manchester City are once again expecting a major influx of cash from player sales during the upcoming summer transfer window, a new report has revealed.
The summer market of 2023 saw a significant amount of investment placed on arrivals, while club officials managed to offset their spend with a number of high-profile sales to clubs across the European game.
Manchester City’s most expensive departure concerned Cole Palmer, after the England international brought an end to his time at the Etihad Stadium by joining Premier League rivals Chelsea in a deal understood to be worth around £42 million.
Riyad Mahrez also saw his illustrious spell in Sky Blue ended by a move to the ambitious Saudi Arabian project and Al-Ahli, while the Algerian was joined in his move to the Middle-East by Aymeric Laporte and the Spaniard’s switch to Al-Nassr.
Both deals came to in excess of £50 million, while Manchester City are now expecting a significant figure raised in the upcoming market, according to a new report speculating on the pending business to take place at the Etihad Stadium.
That is according to the information of Manchester City insider ‘Tolmie’s Hairdoo’ on X, who reports that Etihad bosses are once again expecting to raise ‘close to £200 million’ through outgoing player sales this summer.
It is speculated that City will ‘do well’ to get a combined fee of £60 million for on-loan stars Joao Cancelo and Kalvin Phillips, while there is also likely to be the futures of Stefan Ortega and Bernardo Silva to resolve in the coming weeks.
It is further discussed whether Manchester City could also see a ‘shock sale’ in the summer months, while there has been growing discussion over potential interest from Saudi Arabia in midfield star Kevin De Bruyne.
Manchester City’s outgoings will not come without fresh faces however, with the reigning Premier League champions being linked to a number of big-money moves, with positions across all areas of Pep Guardiola’s side being addressed.
Sporting director Txiki Begiristain is expected to acknowledge deficiencies in midfielder this summer, especially in the event of a double departure concerning Bernardo Silva and the out-of-favour Kalvin Phillips.
City have already been linked with a move for Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich, while a number of other names in the Bundesliga have been named of interest to those within the operation at the home of the Treble winners.
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