MANCHESTER is now the epicentre of world football after City's dramatic takeover and two record-breaking transfers.
After a day which shook soccer, City became the richest club in the world and their new Arab owners and United's management smashed the transfer fee record TWICE in deals worth £62m.
The Blues' new billionaire owners flexed their financial muscles by landing Brazilian star Robhinho from Real Madrid for a British transfer record of £32.5m. Just minutes before, United secured Spurs' Dimitar Berbatov for £30.7m despite a daring last-minute bid for the Bulgarian by the newly-revived City. The astonishing spending spree took place as City's new owners promised to `spend, spend, spend' to transform the fortunes of the Eastlands team.
The previous record was held by Chelsea when they bought Andriv Shevchenko for £30.8m. The Royal family of Abu Dhabi - one of the world's wealthiest states - announced the £200m sale of the club from deposed Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday morning.
And their first act was to launch immediate bids for three new players - on the eve of the Premiership's transfer window deadline. Manchester United is already the world's wealthiest and most supported football team in the world, with City ranked 15th in an international rich list.
But the Blues are now tipped to become a sporting superpower - after its new billionaire owners promised to bankroll the club to the tune of hundreds of millions. Businessman Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim, who will represent the Al Nahyan family on the board, told the M.E.N. how he had `hundreds of millions of pounds' to invest.
History
Dr Al Fahim, an Arabian property mogul, said: "The club has got a great football stadium and a great history and a strong fan base but it has not had the investment.
" We can give them that. The club has not been strong for the last few months and we think we can change this situation.
"There is a lot we can do - we will copy what Abramovich did to Chelsea. We will do the same thing.
"We need to get the players and also better branding for the club. We can raise it to the same profile as Manchester United and beyond."
He revealed that they may also consider buying the City of Manchester stadium from Manchester council, although new top class players are their first priority.
Asked to allay the fears of fans concerned about short-term investment, he added: "There is an understanding and a desire to improve the club. Like Abramovich we can bring the money to fund this. The Premier League is a very valuable asset. We are happy to be part of it. When the possibility of a sale came up we thought this was a big opportunity.
"I was aware of other Premiership clubs and deals being made but with Manchester City there is a real development possibility.
"Football is one of the most popular games in the United Arab Emirates so everyone is aware of the Premiership and its teams."
He added that his group planned to use the coaching expertise at Manchester City to develop players from the UAE where the sport is popular but there is no professional league.
Although Dr Al Fahim played down the Royal connections of the Abu Dhabi United Group Investment and Development, it is widely understood that it is a private investment company for the family.
Journalist Anil Bhoyrul, from Arabian business website, said the new owners were looking to create a global brand worth `billions' rather than make a short term profit.
The MEN understands key figures at the city council have not yet held discussions with the Abu Dhabi consortium about The City of Manchester Staduim.
The council is currently looking to develop the site around the stadium after plans for Britain's first £260m supercasino were scrapped by Gordon Brown.
Town hall chiefs are looking for a company to bankroll and build a 'world-class tourist attraction' in the area.
The City of Manchester stadium has not been part of those talks - up to now.
But it is believed the council would be prepared to discuss its future as part of a package of investment.
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Errmmm. If United are the most indebted club in the world (as they are; indeed, they are - as a result of the credit crunch - having to pay 14% on a chunk of the Glazier's borrowing) how then can they, at the same time, be the richest club in the world?
Not that they are any more ;+>
Thank you, thank you, thank you. This means so much to the overwhelming majority of the thousands of loyal fans. It may well be that we become the target of petty jealousy and dislike among fans of other clubs; but I, for one, do not care a jot. (Just don't ban beer in the stadium!) Cheers.
Waited a very long time for this. City - the laughing stock of Utd fans for so many years now find themselves the most powerful club in the world. Last nights ITV 6.30PM national news described Roman Abramavich being worth $25 Billion US Dollars and the group behind City were worth in the region of more than £600+ Billion Pounds. When you consider Man Utd are approx £800 Million in debt we are now light years away from them and only a short matter of time before we start having the last laugh... (see Fergie was too scared to let Berbatov out of Old Trafford before midnight last night). Come on City - can't wait !
my face is hurting from smiling so much
whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?whatdayisit?
So, the new owners of city want to do an Abramovic. In what way? By not winning the Champion's League!
The way Abramovic and Mouriho prattled on, it was as if Chelsea were going to lift every trophy every year.
When will these people realise that the best players don't always make the best team - look at England. All the money in the world isn't worth a toss unless you have a manager who can handle the pressure and make the team gel.
Mark Hughes is a good manager, but I wonder how secure he is feeling this morning. If this Al Fahim is the publicity junkie they say he is, Sparky is nowhere near high profile enough for him. He'll want a proven winner. Sorry, Mark, Wales and Blackburn? You won't last until the end of the season.
youre right, manchester now is but that doesnt include salford does it ? tick tock tick tock.....best stop your red bias now you have bigger fish in the pond.
Buys the Stadium,builds hotels ,casinos ,themeparks the scope is massive consider all the real estate around the Stadium.Its visionary its "New City" dont miss this ride its going to places no one has ever been!
"Former City star Mike Summerbee told BBC Five Live: "We are very, very lucky - Manchester City FC are a very big club and it's a wonderful thing for them."
Of course they are Mikey boy!
Citeh are a small club now with a lot of money. They never have and never will be a "very big club". just more mass hysteria from Citeh fans/former players deluding themselves!!
Members of the UAE's royal family now rent a council house in Manchester.
They should get the "right to buy" and call it the "Middle Eastlands"
Brilliant! Please buy the stadium that would be terrific and no matter what happens in the future that would give us strong financial base to build from!
Good times could be heading to Eastlands sooner than expected as the Dubai businessman admits he tends to get what he wants.
"I always feel like I'm a kind of bulldozer, a full insured bulldozer," he added.
"If nobody likes it, it starts moving - even if there are cars in its way, it has to crush the cars and move. I can't stop. If I have an idea, I have to do it."
OMG ....
Forget buying the stadium, the ways things are going we will need a bigger stadium unless they can increase capacity but that can't be possible with the complex roof construction.
I've tried all morning to renew my ticket just based SWP returning and you cannot get through, the phone lines cut you off automatically after a few minutes.
You are seeing queues on SSN and there will be no tickets left at this rate.
Its all good news though, when you consider we had to sell SWP 3 years ago to keep the club going.
OH BOY WHAT A DAY THAT WAS, IM AS HIGH AS KITE. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY AHUGE THANK YOU TO DR THAKSIN,WITHOUT ANY OF THIS WOULDNT HAVE BEEN POSSILE. MEN RECENTLY RAN A POLL AND 30% OF CITY FANS WANTED THAKSIN OUT. WELL I THINK THE MAN HAS BEHAVED IMPECABLY, ALWAYS HAD CITYS BEST INTERESTS AT HEART,GAVE US AN EXITING NEW MANAGER IN MARK HUGHES,THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE ON HERE WHO SHOULD EAT HUMBLE PIE AND ADMIT FOR ONCE THEY WERE VERY,VERY WRONG!
Absolutely UNREAL!!.. hard to believe!!
We now need a period of reflection!
Money doesn't buy success but it does pave the way to build solid foundations for (near) FUTURE success.
We wont win the PL this season, we need to be realistic but with astute signings (the best 11 players don't necessarily make the best team - look at England) and a good game plan then the skys the limit.
We MUST also show patience - Rome wasn't built in a day.
This is the mother of all opportunities & we must grasp it positively - these guys wont take empty seats & boos - we wont get another opportunity.
Whilst on the point of emepty seats, if we do not sell out every game from now on, then (a) what do you want and (b) we will be a laffing stock.
By the way lets stop this matching the RAGS rubbish, it killed Swales and diverts us from our aim of being No.1 - Chelsea may yet be the benchmark.
Manchester United are irrelevant!
Looks like the Chelsea game is on it's way to selling out. I tried to get through to get an extra ticket for the Mrs, I gave up after 30 mins and £4.80!
This is dreamland, don't care hat they say most rags fans must have hated whats gone on in last 24 hours.
Just love the fact that the money from our new signing will probably used to get Ronnie off to Madrid
Can't stop smiling
LMTO CTID
Does anyone know the legal & financial stand point if our new owner wants to buy the stadium and can he extend the seating capacity to 76001 ??? 1 more than the rags !!!
Does anyone know how long we have to continue carrying Danny Mills or can we now afford to just pay him off and wave goodbye ???
Absolutely UNREAL! Good luck Dr.2
Looking into my FCB, 1) I see huge crowds flocking to CoMS in order to see the sublime footbal being played there. 2) I see the third tier being erected at the north and south ends in order to accommodate these enormous numbers. 3) I see not only the stadium but swathes of surrounding land bought and developed with Hotels, leisure parks, and a Mid-Eastlands Centre, (that makes the Trafford Centre look like the old Arndale), with much improved parking and a revamped arterial road system that will be needed to cope with the vast crowds of visitors.
Sod it, that's all for now, it's all gone cloudy!
Theres only one Al fahim
one Al fahim
If we fill up our car
then he'll buy us kaka
He's loaded and he's coming to eastlands!
Please, please, please don't follow the Chelsea model! If you really were swayed by the large and loyal fanbase keep the youngsters coming through the academy.
Part of being a fan is the thought or dream that if you'd been good enough maybe you could have played for the club, a big part of keeping that connection alive is growing your own players.
Please dont follow the Abramovich lead, we must go our own way!
I am still in dreamland ,oh its so good to get ones own back with some fellow workers Chelski and Rag fans, do i give a toss after all the years of grief and the jokes well the joke just might be on them now fantastic ,can we buy the stadium outright or a better idea re build Maine road,Ctid
i'm 29 and have been a city fan all my life. i don't come from manchester but my parents do and i've had to suffer supporting a team many miles away while all my mates support their local team. i went to uni in manchester and got a season ticket, just in time to see us play in the third division. i moved to london and spent many an afternoon watching itv digital in a pub, by myself and watching berkovic, benarbia and goater. i was at wembley to see dickov and horlock inspire city's comeback to restore us to the first division. i queued up at the last game at maine road for goaters signature and jumped about like a mentalist in the platt lane when we beat united in the last derby at maine road. i've seen players come and go, idolised the likes of niall quinn, shaun goater and keith curle. i've seen coppell stay for days, horton, ball, royle and all.
today my life has changed forever. i can't quite believe it and i'm close to tears. i just hope that we, as city fans, maintain the heritage and integrity of our club. if we are the richest team in the world lets not act like chelsea fans. lets not be arrogant and stroppy like them and united. lets be respectful of other teams that will be in the same positions as we've been in over the years. and then lets win absolutely everything in sight.
I see a blue moon rising.
I see a trophy on the way.
Maybe, we're soon to win the premier.
Surely the champs league on the way.
We've got petrov on the left
shaunie on the wright wright wright
I see a blue moon on the rise.. on the rise, on the rise.