Kieran Maguire: issues ‘shock’ claim as £68m-a-year Man City payout analysed
Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland’s enormous pay packets will no doubt “shock” fans – but the expenditure will be well worth it if they finally fire Man City to the Champions League.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about City’s quest for European glory.
City have won 14 major domestic trophies since the Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008, but the Champions League has so far evaded them.
The 2022-23 campaign arguably represents their best chance to date thanks to the extraordinary form of summer signing Erling Haaland, 22, and Kevin de Bruyne, 31.
Haaland’s brace against FC Copenhagen on Wednesday (5 October) took him to 19 goals in just 12 appearances since his £51million move from Borussia Dortmund.
De Bruyne meanwhile has scored once and provided 10 assists in his 11 outings.
Analysis from the Daily Mail on Saturday (8 October) found that with performance-related add-ons factored in, the pair earn £865,000 and £432,675-a-week and respectively.
That means City are shelling out just shy of £67.5million per year on the pair.
Maguire, however, suggests that this is a small price to pay if they steer City towards the Champions League.
“Haaland’s salary in particular is likely to attract some shock,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“But as far as the owners are concerned, winning the Champions League would be the icing on the cake in terms of the realisation of the objectives they had when they first bought the club.
“City have become the preeminent club as far as domestic trophies are concerned.
“But if they want to be taken more seriously by the other elite clubs in Europe, starting to win competitions at the European table is something that needs to be achieved.
“There is no doubt that with Haaland in his present form, that becomes a distinct possibility.”
In other news, pundit suggests Man City could win Jude Bellingham race after source’s “big” claim.