Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson believes it is incredible that Manchester City have recorded a profit in the transfer window this summer, given the calibre of their signings.
The Lowdown: City’s window
Pep Guardiola enjoyed a busy transfer window this summer after his side secured the signatures of six new additions.
Most notably, the Sky Blues welcomed the arrival of 22-year-old sensation Erling Haaland in a deal worth £51m from Borussia Dortmund.
Staggeringly, in his first six Premier League appearances, the Norway international has netted ten goals – leading the English top-flight in the top-scorers list by some margin.
The Blues also welcomed the £45m signing of Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips and the £14m arrival of talented youngster Julian Alvarez, who signed for the club in January and then returned to River Plate on loan for the remainder of the season.
The Premier League champions also secured the signings of Manuel Akanji, Sergio Gomes and Stefan Ortega.
With notable departures in Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, City finished the window with a net transfer profit in 2022 (via CIES Football Observatory).
The Latest: Robinson reacts
Robinson, who works as a pundit for Sky Sports amongst others, believes Txiki Begiristain’s business in the transfer market was nothing short of brilliant, due to the surprising amount of profit the club made.
Speaking with Football Insider, the former Tottenham goalkeeper claimed:
“They are incredible figures, especially when you take into account the fact that Pep Guardiola never sells a player that he wants to keep at the club. They have sold to rivals which shows that he isn’t too bothered about losing them.
“The players that have come in are superb. I think they have replaced with better players and made money while doing it.
“I know the Haaland package as a whole is a huge financial commitment but the transfer fee was less than [Marc] Cucurella and Antony. They have not overpaid for players.
“They have done their business quickly and wisely. To come out with a profit is incredible for a club of City’s stature.”
The Verdict: Huge business by City
Going off Haaland’s contributions alone, City pulled off remarkable business in the transfer window this summer.
Having secured one of the best young strikers in the world and having made a sizeable profit in the same transfer window, Txiki's summer business is nothing short of incredible.
For example, as per Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old Haaland is already now worth a staggering £135m – making him one of the most valuable players in world football.