Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has questioned Manchester City’s signing of Frank Lampard.
Midfielder Lampard, 36, will join City on a six-month loan deal from Major League Soccer franchise New York City – one of three clubs affiliated to the Premier League champions.
Last season, City received sanctions on their squad after breaching Uefa’s Financial Fair Play regulations.
“Is it a way to get around the fair play? I don’t know,” said Wenger.
“It looks like all of these ‘City’ clubs will feed the main club Manchester City – I heard they want to buy five clubs all over the world.
“I don’t know the rules well enough, but they bought a franchise for £59.4m to play in the States next season.”
Blues around the world – Manchester City’s affiliated clubs |
|
|---|---|
| New York City | from 2013 (partnership with New York Yankees) |
| Melbourne City | from 2014 (partnership with rugby league team Melbourne Storm) |
| Yokohama F Marinos | from 2014 (partnership with car maker Nissan) |
City have been restricted to a 21-man Champions League squad this year – with eight home-grown players required in their Premier League squad.
“At the moment the players they sign cannot play until next year so they will register them in the other clubs and can get out on loan,” added Wenger, who ruled out Arsenal employing similar methods in the future.
“We are happy to dedicate the money to just run our club – there is not a lot of surplus to run other clubs, ” he said.
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Source: BBC Sport