Arsene Wenger: Manchester City will find their way round the financial fair-play rules
Posted Wednesday, November 23, 2011 by The Sun
ARSENE WENGER has laughed off Manchester City's claim they will stick to any financial fair-play rules — despite posting the biggest losses in the history of English football.
City last week announced losses of £195million for the most recent financial year.
That eclipsed the previous biggest deficit — £141m by Chelsea in 2005 in the second year of Roman Abramovich's ownership.
City's loss on such a record-breaking scale raises immediate concerns about whether the club has any chance of complying with UEFA's planned financial fair-play rules which will apply to clubs in European competitions from the 2014-15 season.
Football's European rulers plan to analyse the accounts of top clubs before that.
They will start with the current 2011-12 financial year, allowing them to lose just £38.5m in total over the next three years.
It comes amid concern that such subsidised overspending is relentlessly inflating players' wages throughout European football and driving clubs to the brink of financial ruin.
Arsenal boss Wenger, speaking ahead of tonight's Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund, said: "I am now more nervous about the rules having teeth.
"When I see the numbers announced by Man City, do you really think it will work in 2013? I cannot see it when the wage bill is bigger than the turnover. Frankly, that cannot happen in one year."
Wenger privately believes some clubs could even get around the rules through sponsorship deals.
He added: "With FC Sion challenging UEFA over their ban for fielding ineligible players, they have lost a lot of power. We live in a world where any decision made is challenged legally.
"UEFA want to stop clubs with those sorts of deficits playing in the Champions League. That's in their plan.
"But I question whether they will be capable of forcing it through. Will they have the legal powers?
"In other countries you now have Paris St-Germain and Malaga with Qatar owners. Once they represent a force together, it will be difficult to fight against."
City last week acknowledged the looming enforcement of financial fair play when releasing their figures — but insisted that despite the record losses they would try to comply.
Graham Wallace, the club's chief operating officer, insisted: "Our losses, which we predicted as part of our accelerated investment strategy, will not be repeated on this scale in the future.
"As we undertake the club's commercial transformation, we are aware of the incoming UEFA financial fair-play regulations. Consequently we continue to maintain positive and ongoing dialogue with all appropriate football authorities."
Meanwhile, Arsenal target Esteban Granero will be allowed to leave Real Madrid in January after a showdown meeting with boss Jose Mourinho.
A Real insider said: "If we receive a good offer it will be studied."
That leaves the way open for the Gunners to land the £6million-rated former Spanish Under-21 star.
Grenero, 24, has largely been a fringe player since Mourinho took charge, appearing just 17 times last season.
But Arsenal boss Wenger has long been a fan and believes the midfielder can help take some of the creative burden off Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey.
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