Manchester City & Arsenal just call players and offer them lots of money, says Rosell

17-Oct-2012 3:10:00 PM

The Barcelona president says the Premier League duo use strong-arm tactics to bring in talent and has poured cold water on the idea of a European super league

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has accused Manchester City of building a team by simply offering players "lots of money", and also criticised Arsenal's youth policy in the process.

The Catalan club's chief dismissed City's transfer policy as an inflated version of Arsene Wenger's approach to procuring academy talent for the Gunners, with Barcelona losing Cesc Fabregas to Arsenal in 2003.

The Spanish star rejoined his hometown side last summer for a fee of £30 million, and Rosell feels City - and by extension Arsenal - are simply using money to blow away the competition, whether it be at youth or senior level.


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"City are now doing at first team what Arsenal have been doing at academy: call players and offer them lots of money," he told Marca.

Barcelona lost Yaya Toure to Roberto Mancini's side in 2010 for an estimated fee of £24m, and the Ivorian has become an integral part of City's side.

While Arsenal midfielder Alex Song joined the Spanish champions this summer for £15m, there was resentment within the Catalan club and among fans at the large fee needed to buy back Fabregas - a former youth player at La Masia.

Rosell also questioned the possibility of a European super league, suggesting both fans and national federations would prefer for the game to remain the same.

He added: "A European league won't happen soon. National federations won't allow [it], and fans prefer to face Betis rather than Bruges."

And despite pouring cold water on the idea of a European super league, Rosell spoke about his side having to adjust their schedule rather drastically in order to satisfy the burgeoning Asian TV markets.

"Barcelona will this season also play a Spanish league game on a Sunday at 12pm," he confirmed.