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Which clubs did Man City’s ‘inflated’ money flow to in transfer market?

BBC Sport follows the trail of transfer money flowing to other clubs during Manchester City's period of financial rule-breaking.

Published: Friday, 2 October 2026 at 10:30 PM
Which clubs did Man City’s ‘inflated’ money flow to in transfer market?
Key Things to Know
  • An analysis examined how Manchester City's transfer spending distributed inflated funds to 46 clubs between 2009 and 2018.
  • Manchester City spent roughly £1.2bn on senior players across that period, with over a quarter going to Premier League clubs.
  • Daniel Austin argues that large fees received from City rarely produced long-term on-pitch success for selling clubs like Wolfsburg and Monaco.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Following Manchester City's guilty verdict regarding financial breaches, BBC Sport analyzed how the club's transfer spending distributed funds across the football world. An independent commission found City inflated accounts by over £900m, contributing to roughly £1.2bn spent on players across 46 clubs between 2009 and 2018. Over a quarter of that outlay went to Premier League competitors.

BBC Sport senior journalist Daniel Austin notes that receiving substantial fees from City rarely guaranteed lasting success for selling clubs. Teams such as Wolfsburg, Monaco, and Arsenal often struggled in subsequent seasons, while lower-league clubs like Queens Park Rangers and Barnsley gained windfall sell-on fees from deals involving Raheem Sterling and John Stones.

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