Klopp's most cutting Man City comment resurfaces after alleged Premier League financial rule breaches

Jurgen Klopp's previous comments on Manchester City's finances have resurfaced after the Premier League accused the Etihad club of allegedly breaching its financial rules.

City are alleged to have breached the league's rules over a period of nine years between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

The club is alleged to have not provided accurate financial information "in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs".

There are further alleged breaches related to rules requiring full details of "manager remuneration" related to the 2009-10 to 2012-13 seasons, when Roberto Mancini was in charge.

A four-year investigation into City's finances has found more than 100 alleged rule breaches, which have now been referred to a commission.

If the charges are proven it could lead to a range of sanctions including a points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League, according to The Times.

City are yet to release a statement in response to the alleged breaches.

Back in 2020, European football's governing body UEFA ruled that City had committed "serious breaches" of its own Financial Fair Player (FFP) regulations between 2012 and 2016.

UEFA handed City a two-year ban from European competitions, which was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport following an appeal from the Premier League club.

Klopp's comments about City's spending resurface

City are estimated to have spent more than £1.5bn on transfers since Sheikh Mansour completed his takeover of the club in 2008.

Earlier this season, Liverpool manager Klopp commented on City's level of spending, with those quotes now resurfacing following the news of the alleged rule breaches.

Asked if Liverpool could keep up with City following the signing of Erling Haaland, Klopp said: "You will not like the answer, and you all have the answer already. Nobody can compete with City in that.

"You have the best team in the world and you put in the best striker on the market. No matter what it costs, you just do it.

"I know City will not like it, nobody will like it, you've asked the question but you know the answer. What does Liverpool do? We cannot act like them. It is not possible."

City signed Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in a deal reported to be worth £51m in the summer.

However, it was claimed that the total cost of his multi-year deal could cost City more than £300m, once wages, bonuses and agents' fees are taken into account.

"There are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially," added Klopp, referring to City, Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain – all of which have owners from the Middle East.

"It's legal and everything, fine, but they can do what they want. It is not a problem at all for me, it's like it is."