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Raheem won’t be City’s only deal after UEFA lift FFP cap
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LONDON: Manchester City have been given the green light by UEFA for a £150mil (RM885mil) spree. The Etihad club were clobbered last summer after they were found to be in breach of Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions.
But UEFA on Friday signalled the lifting of the cap on spending and squad size – and City owner Sheikh Mansour is ready to take full advantage.
England midfielder Fabian Delph could become the club’s first new face as they struggle to make a breakthrough on their top targets.
SunSport reported on June 17 how the Aston Villa man was on a list of alternatives drawn up by City chiefs.
So far they have had two bids for Raheem Sterling turned down while moves for Paul Pogba and Kevin de Bruyne are proving complicated.
The Liverpool ace could eventually cost £45mil (RM265mil) while Pogba is valued at £70mil (RM413mil) by Juventus and Wolfsburg rate De Bruyne at £40mil (RM236mil).
Delph could be available for as little as £8mil (RM47mil) after having a release clause written into the new contract he signed at Villa Park earlier this year.
He would help City fulfil their homegrown quota, having just lost James Milner, Frank Lampard and Micah Richards. Another deal likely to go through is the signing of Turkish sensation Enes Unal.
The 18-year-old Bursaspor striker and Turkey international has chosen a switch to the Etihad for around £2mil (RM12mil).
Last May, City’s title celebrations were dampened by news UEFA had ordered them to spend a maximum £49mil (RM289mil) on signings.
They were also fined and told they could name just 21 players in their Champions League squad for the 2014-15 campaign.
Both restrictions have now been scrapped by UEFA as City have fallen into line with the FFP guidelines though they will continue to be monitored.
A UEFA statement read: “We have lifted a number of restrictions on transfer activity, employee expenses and number of players in UEFA club competitions imposed on Manchester City.
“This is after the club reached certain targets towards break-even compliance as part of the ongoing monitoring of their settlement agreement.
“The lifting of restrictions is subject to ongoing additional controls and audits.
“The club remain under strict monitoring and has still to meet break-even targets and is therefore subject to some limitations in 2016.”
City chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak confirmed last month they wanted to spend big as they look to peg back champions Chelsea.
They are also likely to sell Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic, while allowing the loans of Alvaro Negredo, Matija Nastasic and Scott Sinclair to become permanent deals. — The Sun, London