“I’m not moving, I can assure you,” Pep Guardiola rasped in the social media post announcing his contract extension until 2027. The video zeroes in on Pep’s crow’s feet and coal-black eyes, each wrinkle possibly a testament to the efforts needed to secure the multiple trophies he has delivered to Manchester City. Yet, in delivering the news City fans eagerly awaited, the announcement was understated, almost low-budget, especially in an era where people flaunt their best lives on social media with production values rivaling blockbusters like Kevin Costner’s Waterworld. Football Daily has seen higher budget gender reveal videos, more lavish web ads for hair regrowth and even lead-filled pencils. (Are we the only ones getting these ads?) But why the frugality? Perhaps the legal department had intervened. City’s team of learned friends, some reportedly on Kevin De Bruyne’s salary, were reportedly facing a significant setback in their fight against the football establishment. They needed enough votes to override the Premier League’s rewriting of the associated party transaction rules but, aside from Aston Villa, Newcastle, and Nottingham Forest, found few supporters. A Friday PL statement droned: “The purpose of the APT rules is to ensure clubs do not benefit from commercial deals or cost reductions that are not at fair market value (FMV) due to relationships with associated parties.” In essence, City’s ownership’s ties to businesses in the UAE does not entitle them to a blank cheque from companies possibly owned by relatives of their owner, Sheikh Mansour, a private individual according to City but who is also the current vice-president and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and a member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi. What does this mean for the actual football, the reason you read this email? It likely means it won’t be as straightforward for Pep and incoming sporting director Hugo Viana to buy every player needed to replace the aging legs of De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, and/or cover for Rodri while he recovers from a knee injury. City had previously fought to overturn fair market value measures and crush the saboteurs in a case possibly linked to ongoing financial charges (115 or 130?) that the club’s legal team is also battling, which the club denies. For Blues who now find excitement in lawyerball rather than watching their team dominate, this appears a significant setback. Though they did have a special night celebrating shareholder value, a kick against the red cartel aiming to end their blue dream. Elsewhere, possibly relevant: City face Tottenham on Saturday, having lost their previous four matches.
“Latte art is a little hobby of mine. I did a course where they taught you how to extract coffee and how to foam milk correctly. I bought my machine as a sort of treat to myself after promotion … It is a serious piece of kit. I use it most days. We have a barista here but if she is away, the lads are like: ‘Come on, Yatesy, give us a flat white’” – Nottingham Forest’s Ryan Yates discusses his coffee hobby, hotel spinach, and why he wanted to sign his new contract in a snorkel in this superb interview with Ben Fisher.
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