• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Man City missed out on two gamechanger signings after winning Premier League for the first time

Home> Football> Football News

Published 10:16 10 Jan 2024 GMT

Man City missed out on two gamechanger signings after winning Premier League for the first time

Manchester City were poised to make two huge signings after a first Premier League title.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Manchester City were hopeful of making two game-changing signings after their first Premier League title but ended up experiencing a horrific transfer window.

City pipped rivals Manchester United on goal difference in the dying seconds of the season, with Sergio Aguero scoring a last-gasp winner against QPR.

Roberto Mancini already had a talented squad at his disposal but immediately stressed the need to continue strengthening.

"Barcelona and Real Madrid every year buy two or three players and spend a lot of money," he said.

"I think for Manchester City it will be the same. We need to improve. We need to have the strength to play Champions League and Premier League.”

Advert

As relayed by the Manchester Evening News, City identified Robin van Persie and Eden Hazard as their top two targets and hoped for to land the pair for a total of £60 million.

Yet the Blues failed on both occasions. Van Persie, with "the little boy inside him screaming for United, joined the Red Devils from Arsenal for a fee of £24 million and single-handedly delivered United's 20th league title.

Hazard was at Lille at the time and had offers from just about every major European club.

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

Advert

But he ultimately opted for Chelsea, who had just won the Champions League against Bayern Munich on penalties.

Hazard signed for a fee of £32 million and City were left behind. The Blues also wanted to sign Daniele De Rossi from Roma but ended up with one of the worst collection of signings for a title-winning side.

They signed Scott Sinclair, Jack Rodwell, Javi Garcia, Matija Nastasic and Maicon and unsurprisingly finished in second place, 11 points behind United.

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

Advert

City also lost the FA Cup final to Wigan Athletic and Mancini was sacked before the end of the season and replaced by Manuel Pellegrini.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Manchester City, Robin Van Persie, Eden Hazard, Roberto Mancini

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

X

@joshlawless_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
4 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • 3 hours ago

    Cole Palmer linked with move that would break the world transfer record and rock football to its core

    Cole Palmer has been linked with a move away from Chelsea.

    Football
  • 4 hours ago

    PSG could let 11 players leave in brutal clearout after Club World Cup final defeat to Chelsea as top target revealed

    Paris Saint Germain were beaten by Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup final.

    Football
  • 5 hours ago

    Liverpool targets Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike's records compared aged 23 and there's a clear winner

    Isak and Ekitike have both been linked with big-money moves to Liverpool this summer.

    Football
  • 5 hours ago

    Steven Gerrard names shock pick for Premier League's greatest midfielder as GOAT debate finally settled

    Steven Gerrard is one of the best midfielders in Premier League history.

    Football
  • Premier League winner with Man City would 'hide in the showers and smoke' at half-time in games
  • Craig Bellamy was kicked out of Man City training for "asking a question"
  • Sir Alex Ferguson's planned 'spending spree' to replace Cristiano Ronaldo has re-emerged, he only got one of the players