The Premier League giants are baffled by the scale of Chelsea’s spending

Rival managers Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have expressed their dismay at Chelsea’s recent extraordinary spending.

The London club have made their spending since the summer after 500m stg ($869m) with their UK record 106.8m stg ($185.6m) by signing Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez on deadline day .

That spending since taking over Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital at Stamford Bridge last year has raised questions about how the club will meet Financial Fair Play requirements.

Manchester City manager Guardiola has suggested his club would have faced significant criticism and scrutiny given their previous struggles with FFP if they had done the same.

“It’s none of my business but it’s a surprise because it’s not a ‘state’ club,” the Spaniard, whose club is owned by Abu Dhabi United Group, told the media sarcastically on Friday.

“What worries me is that we have won 11 titles in the last five years and are the fifth or sixth team to net spend in the Premier League. That’s what really counts for us.

“Not only in the Premier League, but also in Europe you have to spend money. Now the market is ‘wow’.

“What Chelsea do is none of my business, I never incorporate opinions into other clubs because there are regulations and rules that we have to do.

“But we were blamed. I don’t forget eight or nine teams in the Premier League sent a letter to the Premier League to ban us.

“We are the fifth team with a net spend in the last five years. That’s the reality.”

When asked what he thought the answer would have been if City’s spending had matched Chelsea’s, the Spaniard cryptically said: “I know what would happen.”

Liverpool manager Klopp admits he doesn’t know how Chelsea’s spending is possible.

“I won’t say anything without my lawyer… that’s a joke,” the German smiled.

“I don’t understand that part of the business: what you can do, what you can’t do. However, it is a large number in the last two windows.

“With the players they brought in, I never once thought, ‘Why did they do that?’. They’re all really good players, so from that point of view, congratulations if you make it, and obviously you make it she it.”

“I don’t understand how this is possible, but it’s not my place to explain how it works. Hopefully you all know exactly how it works and then it’ll be fine.”

When asked if he expected an immediate improvement from Graham Potter’s side, Klopp added: “Yes, Graham knows that.

“With the quality they have, it’s hard to avoid. I don’t know how quickly that will happen.”