LONDON: Manchester City have spent a whopping 1.2 billion pounds sterling on new players over nine seasons as the club faces allegations of financial irregularities.

According to The Athletic, City were found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges of breaching the rules, but the panel has yet to decide on an appropriate and proportionate punishment.

Some of the players who joined the club later became legends, while others emigrated.

Tevez, who spent the previous two seasons on loan with rivals Manchester United, made 42 appearances in his first season.

He scored 29 goals and created seven assists, helping City finish fifth, up from 10th the previous season, and earning a place in the Europa League.

Toure scored the winning goal against United in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final before repeating it against Stoke at Wembley to give the club their first major trophy in 35 years.

The pair won three Premier League titles, three Carabao Cups, one FA Cup and one Community Shield.

Then in 2011, came the name that changed everything: Sergio Aguero.

Upon arrival, he said: “We are a team that in the future will fight every year to win major trophies.”

Aguero lived up to his word when he became City’s all-time top scorer, but regardless of all his achievements since then, the Argentine star will still be remembered for the 93rd-minute goal that secured the 2011/12 title.

However, not every transfer window sees City land a sensational Argentine star to cement their status.

Transfer activity for the 2012/13 season was far less interesting.

Unfortunately for them, United snatched the league title by finishing the season 11 points clear, thus seeing Roberto Mancini leave the club.

They returned in 2013 when a rebuild under Manuel Pellegrini led them to two trophies.

Fernandinho was initially seen as an expensive 28-year-old after being bought from Shakhtar Donetsk.

PARIS: France defender Ibrahima Konate has been ruled out of the Nations League after suffering a knee injury, opening the way for Manchester United’s Leny Yoro to receive his first call-up to Les Bleus’ senior squad.

Konate experienced pain in his knee during training before an MRI scan confirmed he had suffered a mild sprain in his right knee.

“Konate felt pain in his knee during training and underwent a follow-up MRI scan yesterday (Wednesday).

“He suffered a slight sprain in his right knee,” the French coaching staff said in a statement.

The Real Madrid defender will return to his club to undergo a rehabilitation process.

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Konate’s withdrawal is the third from the France squad since the international break began on Monday after goalkeeper Robin Risser and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery were also ruled out.

As a replacement for the former Liverpool defender, French manager Zinedine Zidane called up Yoro who has never made an appearance for the senior squad.

Yoro, 20, now has the opportunity to make his debut for Les Bleus under Zidane.

Zidane, who helped France win the World Cup as a player, will take charge of his first match as national team coach when France travel to Turkey, early this Saturday morning.

After that, France is scheduled to meet Belgium away before hosting the same opponent, with the match against Italy also taking place between the two meetings.

OEIRAS: Cristiano Ronaldo appeared before the media, admitting he was nervous before doing what he has done for more than two decades: taking the spotlight, brushing off criticism and insisting that the end of his career is not yet in sight.

The 41-year-old Portugal captain, speaking at the main stage of the Portugal Football Summit yesterday, ahead of the UEFA Nations League match against Wales early tomorrow morning, said he still has a lot to contribute to his country as Jorge Jesus makes his first appearance as national team manager.

Jesus replaced Roberto Martinez after Portugal’s World Cup campaign ended in disappointment when they were eliminated in the last 16 by eventual champions Spain.

Ronaldo now has 979 career goals – 833 for club and 146 for Portugal – and needs just 21 more to reach the 1,000 mark he has publicly targeted.

When asked whether winning the Nations League or reaching 1,000 goals was more important, he smiled and chose both.

“One goal is to achieve both – score 1,000 goals and the national team tries to win the Nations League.

“It’s a new era with the manager Jorge Jesus, who we all know; I just hope everything goes well for him,” Ronaldo said at the Portugal Football Summit at the Portuguese Football Association (FAP) headquarters outside Lisbon.

Ronaldo said scoring his 1000th goal for Portugal would be the “sweet highlight” of his career.

“Scoring your 1,000th goal for the national team would be the culmination of something – a beautiful story.

“It’s not the end, but it will be a beautiful story,” he said.

However, Ronaldo insisted he wasn’t thinking too much about chasing that number.

“I have already admitted that I want to achieve it and I will achieve it.

“An obsession? No… The rest is enjoying, enjoying every day,” he added.

Ronaldo admitted he had considered his future with the national team after Portugal’s elimination from the World Cup, but discussions with FAP and Jesus convinced him to continue playing at international level.

When asked about retirement, Ronaldo said: “I learned something since my late 30s, live for the moment and don’t think about tomorrow.

“Is it possible? Yes. Very likely? Yes. But will it happen? No, I don’t know.”

MANCHESTER: Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca admitted his brilliant start as Pep Guardiola’s successor will be quickly forgotten if he fails to continue the winning streak with the team.

Maresca faces a tough task replacing Guardiola, who won 20 trophies during his glorious 10-year era at the Etihad Stadium.

After losing to Arsenal in the Community Shield, the Italian manager made the perfect start to the season as City won six consecutive games in three different competitions.

The highlight came last weekend when City beat their neighbours, Manchester United 1-0 despite having to play for over an hour with 10 men after Phil Foden was shown an early red card.

Maresca is also supported by a record-breaking £460 million spend on new players.

He was, however, forced to let go of several high-profile players including Spain’s World Cup-winning captain, Rodri.

“I said in the first press conference, for me being at this club is a privilege and being at this club after a legend like Pep is also a privilege.

“I know if I don’t win it will be considered a disaster and that’s normal, but I don’t spend time thinking about who was here before and how long they were here,” said Maresca ahead of Sunderland’s visit in the English Premier League (EPL) tomorrow.

The former Chelsea manager added: “I’m just here to focus on what we can do better, improve the team and try to win games.

“I’m very happy with these five or six games in a row but now the main focus is just on the next game and I don’t think about the fact that we’ve won six games in a row because that game is over.

“We are focused on the next game and then we will face the international break.”

Maresca also had the opportunity to rest most of his key players when City thrashed Norwich 5-0 in the League Cup yesterday.

Teenager Floyd Samba stole the show when he scored twice on his debut, while Brazilian winger Allan also shone on his City debut by scoring a goal.

MANCHESTER: Erling Haaland admitted Manchester City’s 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford felt quite special after his goal survived the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) controversy.

The Norwegian striker struck in the 60th minute with a close-range finish from Josko Gvardiol’s cross as City played with 10 men after Phil Foden was sent off for kicking Bruno Fernandes.

Haaland’s goal was initially ruled out for offside, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review found that Enzo Fernandez, who was in an offside position, did not touch the ball despite trying to get it before Haaland.

“I thought maybe someone touched the ball. When I found out no one touched it, I think they thought I was offside personally because I’m not usually in that position,” Haaland said.

The victory was even sweeter for City because they had to survive with 10 men for about an hour at Old Trafford.

“It’s always nice to win a game, but playing with 10 men for 60 minutes at Old Trafford is a very special feeling.

“Seeing the faces of all the fans after the match, it was really a great feeling,” he said.

City then owed their success to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who produced a brilliant performance towards the end of the match when he saved Bryan Mbeumo’s shot from 12 metres.

“Great performance from Gianluigi at the end of the game. He was like a wolf in goal, he actually looked like a wolf.

“He’s a crazy guy and having a player like that behind you makes you feel safer,” Haaland said.

The victory continued Enzo Maresca’s perfect start to the demanding task of replacing Pep Guardiola as City manager.