“But like we won in the past because we spent a lot, now six teams have to win the Premier Leagues, Champions Leagues and FA Cups because they spend more in the last five years. These are facts. It’s not an opinion.

“You can say an opinion, like you say you play good or bad against Spurs – we can agree or disagree. But they are facts. Good luck to the six teams who are in front of us for net spend for the last five years.

“Let’s go. I’m waiting. That’s a nice quote, eh?”

Guardiola and City failed to win a major trophy last season, but have claimed six of the past nine Premier League titles.

City have broken the £100m mark once in their history to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa in 2022.

But the club have recouped cash astutely in recent years, making more than £250m from the sale of academy products alone since 2020.

Argentina forward Julian Alvarez joined Atletico Madrid from City in 2024 for a record £81.5m, while Raheem Sterling’s move to Chelsea the previous summer fetched the club £50m.