Manchester City is one of the clubs in England that spends heavily to recruit players every season. They buy players from their rivals regularly....CONTINUE READING
Most of these players have been essential to City’s success during the past 13–14 years. Others have left the Etihad and are now considered legends for the club. In the following, we’ll look at five such players that City acquired from their competitors.
1. Emmanuel Adebayor – bought from Arsenal
After leaving Arsene Wenger’s team in July 2009 for £25 million, Emmanuel Adebayor joined a rival club and gleefully celebrated a goal he had scored against Arsenal that season.
He was a consistent scorer for Arsenal, netting 30 goals in the 2007–08 season, and that was enough to entice Manchester City to sign him away from the Gunners. Adebayor joined Tottenham in 2011 and remained there for four seasons, making himself even more despised by Arsenal fans.
2. Gael Clichy – signed from Arsenal
Many Arsenal players have always been sold to Manchester City, For the latter five seasons of his time at Arsenal (2003-07), Gael Clichy was the club’s starting left-back before Man City swooped in and bought him for £8 million in July 2007. During his tenure at Manchester, Clichy won two Premier League titles but was dismissed at the end of the season.
3. Raheem Sterling – Signed from Liverpool
Raheem Sterling was part of Liverpool’s “SSS” trio with Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge. The trio nearly won the Premier League, but Sterling left for Manchester City. Liverpool fans were furious with the transfer, which cost £57.33 million. Sterling is a City legend. He played 337 games, scoring 131 goals and assisting 94.
In seven seasons at Manchester City, he won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and five League Cups. The 27-year-old moved to Chelsea to get more playing time as he nears his peak. He’s a Manchester City legend.
4. Samir Nasri
Samir Nasri played for Arsenal for only three seasons, but he made a big impact during his time there, culminating in the 2010–11 season when he scored ten league goals and was named to the Premier League’s All-Star Team.
While Wenger claimed all summer that Nasri wouldn’t be sold, the truth was that this would be his last season with Arsenal. Following his departure from the Gunners, Nasri, like van Persie, signed a £25 million transfer with Manchester City and won the Premier League with his new team.
5. Kyle Walker – Tottenham Hotspur
Kyle Walker joined Manchester City from Spurs in 2017. Kyle Walker was one of Pep Guardiola’s successful full-back additions. Walker has 214 City appearances, six goals, and 17 assists.
His speed makes him a top player, not his attacking stats. Walker has won four Premier League crowns, one FA Cup, and four League Cups. The 32-year-old English defender is losing speed but remains a trustworthy component of Guardiola’s team. Walker is a fan favorite and believes he has more to offer.
